During the summer, as you water your garden, you might find that a little pest is beginning to make a home in your produce. The earwig, or European earwig, is a pest that you might find to be a nuisance as you spend time in your garden.
Earwigs mainly are a nuisance pest. Their reputation is made worse by the
widespread fear that many people have regarding these insects. Several tales exist concerning alleged damage
of earwigs: how they like to crawl into ears or how the forceps cause a painful
pinch. These stories have little basis
in fact, although earwigs have been known to cause a mildly painful bite when
sat upon or handled. More than likely,
their name comes from the fact that their wings are shaped like ears.
Earwigs like to live in dark and humid spaces and are
active at night. They are predators of
other insects and they often feed on plant matter from leaves and flower petals
to supplement their diets. There is one
generation of European earwigs but there are several earwigs present throughout
the growing season.
Earwig control can be challenging. Trapping can be effective, especially when
combined with baits. Many earwigs can be
trapped which may help reduce numbers. Traps
can be of various designs but should produce dark hiding areas that the earwigs
will seek out for daytime shelters. Rolled corrugated cardboard can be very
effective, as can rolled or crumpled newspapers. Furthermore, the addition of
some food bait within the shelter can greatly improve the use of a trap by
earwigs. Modifying the habitat to reduce
available shelters for the earwigs can also help. There are also insecticides available,
including bait formulations, that can help reduce earwig numbers. Bait formulations containing carbaryl as the
active ingredient are listed as being effective. These are broadcast around the
base of plants and are eaten by the insects. Bait formulations are generally considered a
means of using insecticides that have more selective effects compared to
sprays.
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