How to Get Rid of Earwigs: Understanding and Eliminating These Misunderstood Garden Visitors
Picture this: you're moving a flowerpot on your patio, and suddenly a small, dark insect with what looks like medieval torture devices attached to its rear end scurries away. Your first instinct might be alarm—those pincers look downright menacing. But earwigs, despite their fearsome appearance and unfortunate name (no, they don't actually crawl into ears), are mostly just moisture-seeking opportunists trying to make their way in your garden. Still, when they start showing up in your bathroom at 2 AM or munching on your prized dahlias, it's time to take action.
The Real Story Behind Those Pincers
Let me clear something up right away—those forceps-like appendages on an earwig's posterior aren't nearly as dangerous as they appear. I've been gardening for over two decades, and I've handled hundreds of earwigs. The worst they've ever done is give me a tiny pinch that felt like someone lightly pressing their fingernails against my skin. Males have curved pincers, females have straight ones, and both use them primarily for mating rituals and occasionally defending themselves against other insects.
What's actually more interesting about earwigs is their maternal behavior. Unlike most insects that lay eggs and abandon them, female earwigs are devoted mothers. They'll guard their eggs through winter, clean them to prevent fungal growth, and even care for their young nymphs after they hatch. It's touching, really—if you can get past the whole creepy-crawly thing.
Why Your Home Becomes Earwig Central
Earwigs don't actually want to be in your house. They're like that party guest who got lost looking for the bathroom and ended up in your bedroom—awkward for everyone involved. These insects crave moisture and darkness, which is why you'll often find them in:
- Bathrooms (especially around leaky pipes)
- Basements with humidity issues
- Kitchen sinks
- Laundry rooms
- Under potted plants
During particularly dry summers, I've noticed earwig invasions spike dramatically. They're essentially refugees seeking water, not malicious home invaders. One July, during a brutal drought, I found seventeen earwigs in my bathtub over the course of a week. They'd climbed up through the drain seeking moisture and couldn't climb back out of the slippery porcelain.
Natural Deterrents That Actually Work
Before reaching for chemical warfare, consider that earwigs do serve a purpose in your garden ecosystem. They eat aphids, mites, and insect eggs—making them beneficial predators. They also consume decaying plant matter, functioning as nature's cleanup crew. The trick is managing their population, not complete annihilation.
Diatomaceous earth has become my go-to solution. This powder, made from fossilized aquatic organisms, works like microscopic glass shards against soft-bodied insects. Sprinkle it around entry points, but—and this is crucial—only use food-grade diatomaceous earth, especially if you have pets. The pool-grade stuff is chemically treated and dangerous to breathe.
Cedar oil spray is another winner. Mix about 10 drops of cedar essential oil with water in a spray bottle and apply it around doorways and windows. Earwigs detest the smell. Plus, your house will smell like a fancy spa, which is a nice bonus.
The Newspaper Trap Method
Here's an old-timer trick I learned from my neighbor Harold, who's been gardening since the Eisenhower administration: roll up slightly damp newspapers and place them around your garden in the evening. Earwigs love tight, moist spaces and will crawl inside overnight. In the morning, simply pick up the newspapers and shake them out far from your property—or into a bucket of soapy water if you're less merciful.
I've modified this technique using empty tuna cans filled with a half-inch of vegetable oil. The earwigs crawl in, attracted by the oil's smell, and can't crawl back out. It's not pretty, but it's effective and pesticide-free.
Moisture Control: The Long Game
Eliminating earwigs permanently means addressing the moisture that attracts them. This isn't just about pest control—it's about home maintenance. Fix those leaky faucets. Ensure your gutters drain away from your foundation. Use a dehumidifier in damp basements.
I learned this lesson the hard way when I ignored a slow leak under my kitchen sink for months. By the time I finally fixed it, I had not only earwigs but also silverfish and a concerning amount of wood rot. The $30 plumbing repair I'd postponed turned into a $300 cabinet replacement.
Chemical Options: When Natural Methods Aren't Enough
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the earwig situation escalates beyond DIY solutions. If you're finding dozens daily or they're causing significant plant damage, targeted pesticide use might be necessary.
Spinosad-based insecticides are my recommendation when chemicals become necessary. Derived from soil bacteria, they're less harmful to beneficial insects like bees when used correctly. Apply them in the evening when pollinators are less active, and focus on earwig hiding spots rather than broadcast spraying.
Avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides. Yes, they'll kill earwigs, but they'll also eliminate the predatory insects that naturally keep earwig populations in check. It's like using a sledgehammer to hang a picture frame—effective but unnecessarily destructive.
Garden Management Strategies
Your garden setup significantly influences earwig populations. They adore mulch—it's moist, dark, and full of decomposing matter. If earwigs are a persistent problem, consider switching from wood mulch to rock mulch in problem areas, particularly near your home's foundation.
I've also found that certain plants seem to attract fewer earwigs. Lavender, rosemary, and other Mediterranean herbs with strong scents and dry growing conditions aren't earwig favorites. Meanwhile, dahlias, marigolds, and lettuce might as well have "Earwig Buffet" signs posted above them.
The Vacuum Cleaner Solution
This might sound ridiculous, but hear me out. For indoor earwigs, a vacuum cleaner is your best friend. It's immediate, chemical-free, and oddly satisfying. I keep a small handheld vacuum in my bathroom specifically for this purpose. See an earwig? Vacuum it up, then empty the canister outside. Problem solved without squishing bugs on your wall or floor.
Just remember to empty the vacuum immediately. I once forgot and left a vacuum full of various insects in my closet for a week. The smell when I finally remembered was... memorable.
Seasonal Patterns and Prevention
Understanding earwig behavior throughout the year helps with prevention. They're most active from May through October in temperate climates. Adult earwigs overwinter in the soil, emerging in spring to mate and lay eggs.
Late summer is typically when home invasions peak. Young earwigs have matured, populations are at their highest, and they're seeking overwintering sites. This is when your prevention efforts matter most. In August, I do a thorough check of my home's exterior, sealing cracks with caulk and ensuring door sweeps are intact.
When to Call Professionals
If you're seeing more than a dozen earwigs daily inside your home for more than two weeks despite your efforts, it might be time for professional help. This could indicate a larger moisture problem or an established breeding population somewhere in your walls or foundation.
A good pest control professional won't just spray and leave. They'll identify moisture sources, entry points, and help you develop a long-term management strategy. Yes, it costs more than DIY methods, but sometimes expertise is worth the investment.
Living With Limited Earwig Presence
Here's a perspective shift that took me years to accept: complete elimination of earwigs isn't realistic or even desirable. A few earwigs in your garden are actually beneficial. They're part of a balanced ecosystem, and their presence often indicates healthy soil moisture and abundant organic matter.
The goal isn't a sterile, insect-free environment—it's management and coexistence. Once I stopped viewing every earwig as an enemy and started seeing them as indicators of garden conditions, my approach became more measured and ultimately more successful.
Final Thoughts on Earwig Management
After years of dealing with earwigs in various climates and settings, I've learned that the most effective approach combines multiple strategies. Moisture control, physical barriers, targeted removal, and occasional chemical intervention when necessary create a comprehensive management plan.
Remember, earwigs have been around for millions of years. They're survivors, adapted to find moisture and shelter wherever it exists. Rather than fighting an endless battle, work with their biology. Eliminate what attracts them, block their entry routes, and remove them when they appear. It's not glamorous work, but it's effective.
Most importantly, don't let earwig phobia control your gardening or home enjoyment. Yes, they're not the most attractive insects, and those pincers look intimidating. But they're essentially harmless moisture-seekers trying to survive. With the right approach, you can keep them outside where they belong, doing their job as part of nature's cleanup crew while you enjoy your earwig-free living spaces.
Authoritative Sources:
Cranshaw, Whitney. Garden Insects of North America. Princeton University Press, 2018.
Flint, Mary Louise. Pests of the Garden and Small Farm: A Grower's Guide to Using Less Pesticide. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2018.
"Earwigs." University of Minnesota Extension, extension.umn.edu/nuisance-insects/earwigs.
"European Earwigs." Washington State University Extension, hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/fact-sheet/european-earwig/.
Jacobs, Steve. "European Earwigs." Penn State Extension, extension.psu.edu/european-earwigs.