Getting Rid of Earwigs

The following article will tell you all there is to know about how to get rid of earwigs and get some respite from the menace.


Earwigs are pests…and that is not my opinion. That is the general opinion that is going around, because earwigs completely infest and destroy plants in the gardens and other house plants as well. But that’s not all that earwig bugs do. These insects also attack humans when they perceive the slightest danger from that direction. They start off by emanating this foul smelling gas and then they use the forceps that are present at the end of their bodies to sting either animal or human. Learning how to get rid of earwigs hence becomes important because if they administer a earwig bite or create hell in your precious plants, then there really is nothing that you can complain about later. So it becomes imperative that you take proper steps of either controlling earwigs or getting rid of earwigs. I’m thinking, how to get rid of earwigs is a better option. Let’s get to that then.

Getting Rid of Earwigs in the House

So they’ve infested your house and now you’re all ‘What if they’re under the couch’ and ‘What if they get on my plants‘…Let’s stop thinking about the earwigs in house and focus on how to deal with them instead:

Clean and Clear
Get everything cleared and that especially goes for the moisture laden places. Any place that has an accumulation of moisture is what will attract the earwigs. So clean out all that has a tendency to gather moisture like old newspapers, water seepage in the kitchen and cracks. Make sure that you seal all the openings and cracks and ensure that no water gathers anywhere. This also means that the wet trash needs to be cleared every single day.

Vacuum
Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the entire house through, especially those areas that you figure will have cracks and crevices. Vacuuming will get rid of the earwigs and clear out the house for you. Just be careful when you’re in the process. Make sure to wear protective gear so that you don’t get an insect bite in the process.

Boric Acid
Boric acid is one of the most effective pesticides to get rid of earwigs. Just sprinkle some of this onto the areas as effective pest control that you have seen them hover around. Let it stay overnight and then vacuum the next morning.

Trap Them
Since earwigs are attracted to moisture, make a earwig trap around that concept. Take a newspaper, soak it in water so that it is damp (but not dripping) and roll it up. Now place it in the areas where the earwigs are found. Keep in place overnight. You’ll find that through the night the earwigs have gathered over the newspaper. All you have to do is gather it and secure it in an air tight bag before getting rid of them.

Getting Rid of Earwigs in the Garden

Earwigs are outdoor insects and they are usually found in the gardens. So how to get rid of earwigs out there and prevent them from destroying your plants? Here are some methods other than the obvious ones of sealing the cracks and crevices.

Securing Roots
Earwigs are not only found on the leaves but also make their way through to the roots of the plants. One way to prevent this from happening is to mix a tbs of mild dishwasher liquid in water (1 gallon) and mix it with the plant fertilizers. Water the plants with this. This is harmful for the earwigs and will kill them effectively. The other thing that can be done for killing earwigs is to sprinkle boric acid around the plants.

Sun Drying
Earwigs will thrive in areas that are full of moisture, so a good way to deal with this is to sun dry all parts of furniture, pots and any other garden equipment that can be dried. This will ensure that the parts prone to collecting moisture are dried and do not allow an infestation of earwigs on them, thus providing effective earwig removal.

Encourage Birds
Birds are natural predators of earwigs, thus encouraging them in the garden will ensure that they feed on them and get rid of earwigs.

It’s easy to get rid of the earwigs when you know how to get rid of earwigs, correct? And now that you do know, you don’t have to suffer from them or the earwigs bites anymore. So get to it soon and lead a tension free life.

Related posts:

  1. How to Get Rid of Earwigs
  2. Earwigs in House
  3. Getting Rid of Gnats Outside
  4. Cactus House Plants