How To Get Rid of Earwigs in The Garden

Earwigs are not as harmful as they appear, even if their pincers make them seem terrifying. Usually hidden in moist areas in your garden are these little, lengthy bugs. One often-asked topic is how to eliminate earwigs from a garden. Although they damage certain plants, they also benefit others by consuming aphids, another insect harmful to them.

Are you facing problems with garden earwigs? or you want to know How To Get Rid of Earwigs in Your House Fast Don’t worry! This guide will walk you through their efficient disposal.

What Are Earwigs?

Little insects, earwigs have a maximum length of around 0.5 inches. Their most distinguishing feature is their pair of pincers at the end of their body, which lends them brown, black, or reddish colors. These pincers seem scary, yet they rarely endanger anybody. Earwigs like dark, moist environments beneath mulch, logs, or stones. Overnight, they consume other small insects as well as plants. Many people falsely believe in earwigs: they creep inside people’s ears and probe their brains. But don’t worry, this is not true!

Are Earwigs Harmful to Your Garden?

Regarding gardening, earwigs are not very friendly. On the one hand, their nibbling on leaves and blooms can ruin your plants by leaving ugly holes. Dealing with a little infestation, this damage doesn’t matter.

On the other hand, earwigs can also be beneficial. Their protection of plants against aphids, snails, slugs, and even certain insect larvae helps. They are essential for controlling other pests, even if they are not the friendliest garden visitors. However, if you are determined to know how to get rid of earwigs in the garden, you can try many of these methods.

5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Earwigs in the Garden

1.Dry out the Garden

Earwigs enjoy wet environments; therefore, drying out their habitats is the quickest fix. Earwigs love humidity. Remove dirt, leaves, and other items from their short-term hiding spots. Earwigs will migrate to a more comfy spot if they can’t access their moist hole. You can recover the yard debris you mistakenly removed. This approach also eliminates damp-loving pests like snails and slugs.

2.Use Homemade Traps

Making your own traps is another easy and ecologically friendly technique to remove earwigs from your yard. Overnight, tiny cardboard boxes or damp newspapers are laid all over the garden. If you find dark, moist areas, you can collect earwigs overnight and shake them into a bucket of soapy water first thing in the morning.

To make oil traps, empty tuna cans or other small containers can be filled with vegetable oil and placed in the garden. If you let those annoying earwigs float in the oil, they will drown there. This method will help you catch a lot of earwigs at once.

3.Apply Sticky Barriers

Using a sticky barrier could prevent the damage earwigs are causing to your plants as they climb them.

The solution is either a thin coating of petroleum jelly around the plant roots or commercially sold insect barriers made of sticky tape. The earwigs will get caught in the leaves as they hurry to the blooms.

4.Use Diatomaceous Earth

Organic and safe is getting rid of earwigs using diatomaceous earth (DE). The powder originates from the extremely tiny algae known as diatoms, ancient leftovers. DE kills by cutting into the shells of earwigs and other pests, including slugs. It works over yard ground or around the base of plants. Remember to reapply the DE when it rains or when you water, as it loses effectiveness in damp conditions.

5.Use Pesticides (As a Last Resort)

If natural methods fail, pesticides provide a solution. Look for particular outdoor insecticides labeled for crawling insects like earwigs. Although it’s best to apply the pesticide in the evening, when earwigs are most active, follow product directions exactly. However, keep in mind that pesticides can also harm helpful insects and the overall state of your garden; thus, use them only rarely and only when required.

What Attracts Earwigs to Your Garden?

To know how to get rid of earwigs, first, you must understand why they were originally in your garden. Earwigs like isolated, damp, and dark environments. Soggy leaf heaps, thick mulch, or overwatered areas all help to define their perfect environment. They also eat plant detritus, preferring herbs, marigolds, zinnias, maize tassels, and roses.

If any of them apply, you must clean your garden and keep it dry if you want earwigs out of there.

Preventing Earwigs in the Garden

The greatest approach to permanently avoid earwigs is consistent maintenance of your garden. These simple actions can help you to stop them:

•       Clear any additional mulch or garbage from places earwigs like to hide.
•       Cut your garden and eliminate any weeds that could house earwigs.
•       Replace any lines that leak or are in very damp areas.
•       Move plants from containers resting in damp areas.

Making your garden less inviting can help you keep earwigs out rather than using poison or nets.

Conclusion

Though they appear awful, earwigs are not the worst garden pest. Although they damage certain plants, their devouring harmful insect species helps others. These natural methods can aid you if you want fewer earwigs in your yard. Remember that earwigs can also be helpful; only eliminate them when they annoy you.