[Pest Profile] Earwig

Scientific Name: Various
Order/Family: Dermaptera/Various

Description
Adult earwigs are 1/4- to 1-inch long, dark brown to black, with a red head and pale yellow-brown legs. The body is long and flattened. Earwigs usually have two pairs of wings, the hind wings being fully developed and folded beneath the short, leathery front wings. The thread-like antennae are half as long as the body. The most notable characteristic are pincer-like appendages at the end of the abdomen, the forceps.

Biology
The female lays several batches of approximately 50 eggs in a nest-like shallow depression beneath a board or stone. Those laid in the winter hatch in about 72 days; those laid in the spring hatch in 20 days. The nymphs look much like the adults and molt four to five times before becoming adults, which takes about 56 days.

Habits
Earwig females are interesting because they display a mothering instinct, protecting the nest and the nymphs until they have reached their second molt. Earwigs usually live outdoors and feed on plant material. They are very general feeders and seldom do a great deal of damage to any particular plant. They are active at night, hiding during the day under stones and other objects. Earwigs are outdoor insects which become household pests when they invade structures, usually in the fall or at night. Indoors, they are usually found in cracks and crevices and under furniture and carpeting. They are considered pests because of their presence and because they have a foul odor when crushed. Some species of earwigs are attracted to lights.

Control
Earwig control begins outdoors by removing moist harborages, such as wood piles, landscape timbers, stones, rocks, etc. The yard should be mowed and weeded, and flower beds should not be over mulched. It is very helpful if an 8- to 24-inch vegetation free zone is left adjacent to the foundation. Entry into buildings should be prevented by sealing and caulking gaps around siding, windows, doors, pipes, wires, etc. Yellow bug-lights or sodium vapor lighting is less attractive to earwigs. A vacuum should be used to remove accessible earwigs. Baits are effective when applied indoors as a band around structures and/or directly into harborage areas. Microencapsulated and wettable powder products are the most effective formulations in the moist habitats preferred by earwigs. These products should be applied as a three- to ten-foot band around the perimeter of the structure, into harborage sites, and/or around potential entry points.  

Up Close

• Adult earwigs are 1/4- to 1-inch long, dark brown to black, with a red head and pale yellow-brown legs.
• Earwigs usually have two pairs of wings, the hind wings being fully developed and folded beneath the short, leathery front wings.
• The female lays several batches of approximately 50 eggs in a nest-like shallow depression beneath a board or stone.
• Indoors, they are usually found in cracks and crevices and under furniture and carpeting.
• They are considered pests because of their presence and because they have a foul odor when crushed.
• Some species of earwigs are attracted to lights.
• Earwig control begins outdoors by removing moist harborages, such as wood piles, landscape timbers, stones, rocks, etc.