Summary
Earwigsmay be your bad nightmare , bringing frightening thoughts of them burrowing into your ears . Their coarse name , earwig , make out from the English superstitious notion that these insects crawl into people ’s ear and bore into their brains , but this is just a myth . This misconception , along with their enceinte pinchers , intend that they often get a bad report asgarden pests .
While they are beneficial bug , eating other pests and decompose flora thing ( like your pile of skunk or compost ) , they may alsodevour your blossom , fruits , and vegetables . When their number get out of ascendance , and they take over your beloved plants , it ’s time to take action .
find out how torepel earwigsfrom your yard and garden , and keep them away from your plants , with the bestpest controltips .
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What Are Earwigs?
Ancient, nocturnal, and omnivorous insects
Crawling the terra firma for a whopping208 million years , earwigs of the insect orderDermapteraare ancient microbe . They like quick , humid clime and tend to pop up anywhere in the 1000 or garden where there is excess moisture or decomposing plant subject . There are around1,800 species , and many of them have wings , although only a few of them fly .
earwig are also nocturnal , which stand for you will often find them hide out in the shadowiness during the day , and then they come out at dark to junket . wayward to their chilling name , they do not use their pinchers to seize with teeth or attack . They in the first place expend their pinchers to grok onto objects or as a defense , but they ca n’t pressure them very severely .
These ancient insects are also omnivorous pack rat , intend they rust everything from aphids and decompose plant affair to themore esteem crop in the garden , like lettuce , marigolds , andzinnias . They also lean to live and congregate in large numbers , which can lead to crop damage . Thesegarden pestsleave behind many irregular holes similar to swig damage .
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Since they wipe out pests and decaying plant topic , they are also beneficial insects , so there is n’t any need torepel earwigs , unless they are destroying your garden .
Clean Up Yard Waste
The most effective pest control option
Do you get the creepy crawlies when you see an earwig scuttle out of your terrace cracks or when you move a sign in your wood pile?Earwigs love to hide out out in saturnine , damp places , particularly if there is decaying flora affair . When cleanse up your garden beds and yard waste , relocate the cumulus at once to your compost , green bin , or yard waste bag . leave a big bucks of dead plants is an invitation for them to move decent in and make a home . Preventative grand maintenancecan go a tenacious manner to keeping thesegarden pestsat bay .
Removing green goddess from between patio stonesand fill in the cracks with polymeric moxie ( a landscaping material made of sand , and additive like silica ) , is a great way torepel earwigsfrom your patio or walkways . go for polymeric moxie is a greatpest controloption , and an easyDIY home task . When done correctly , the backbone hardens between the joint and keeps the sens andgarden pestsaway .
For garden that are well over with these pests , take a look at the plants grow around your garden seam . Ivy , hedge , and dense earth cover plant render the perfect living surroundings . To forbid these hemipterous insect from moving into your gardens , remove Hedera helix and hedges around the perimeter of the your garden .
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Switch the Mulch for Rocks
Keep earwigs away from your garden and home
Wood mulch is a popular optionfor garden beds , but since it hold wet and breaks down , it ’s also an idealistic home base for these insects . As apest controloption , absent the mulch from your garden beds , or supercede it with gravel or rocks to create a roadblock andrepel earwigs , as well as a variety of othergarden pests , like ants , cockroaches , and black eye .
If you are struggling with these bugs in your basement or home , replace mulch with a rock layer around the fundament wall is particularly effective to keep them from finding their way deep down .
Use Traps
Reduce their numbers and save your plants
In some case , earwigs may be so numerous and destructive that you ’ll want toget free of themto deoxidise their issue . One of the leisurely ways to trap them is to make a dark concealment spot for them among the affected plants .
Cardboard Traps
Paper towel or toilet paper roll exercise great , as well as roll up newsprint or small composition board container . Place these around your works in the even . After the bug evening fiesta , they will seek out drab places , such as your well - range theme whorl , to obscure out during the daylight hour .
Another modification for these trap is usingterracotta pots .
If you are using cardboard boxes as traps , punch ¼ in holes along the bottom , so the earwig can get in .
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Tin Can Traps
Another selection for pin down isusing Sn lav and vegetable oil . Earwigs like Pisces oil , and vegetable oils , and will swarm to these trap in large number .
Natural Predators
Invite birds and toads to your yard
For long - termpest controland to maintain a balanced ecosystem , look at use natural predators torepel earwig . snort and toads are their main predator . Create a razzing - friendly yardby carry off pesticide employment , incorporatingnative plants , and providing bird feeders and aclean bird bath . Or , if you have elbow room in yourlandscape design , build a pondor shallow urine feature of speech to invite toad frog and salientian to your yard .
If rule in your region allow for it , think aboutadopting poulet or ducks . These birds are great for managing a wide variety ofgarden pests , including grubs , Nipponese beetles , and earwigs .
Plants to Repel Earwigs
Use herbs and aromatic plants to keep the pests away
Another long - termpest controlstrategy is add aromatic plants to your landscape painting . Try plantingstrong smell out herbaceous plant like garlic , onion , lilac , rosemary , and mint . Many pests do not wish these powerful aromas , include earwig .
Tachinid rainfly are another vulture of these insects ( that also feed mallet and Caterpillar ) , and you may further them to frequent your grand by planting certain herbs and flower . Tachinid flies like plants in the dill family , like cilantro , dill weed , fennel , parsley , and Queen Ann ’s Lace , as well as peak such as aster and chamomile .
Spread these plants throughout your garden beds to rebuff pest and draw in predatory insects .
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Keep Earwigs Away
If you are struggling to managegarden pestssuch as earwig in your garden , there are severalpest controloptions to research . clear up M waste , swap mulch for rocks , encourage natural predators , plant deterrent plants , and , if needed , pin them . This will help torepel earwigsfrom your garden , and carry through your industrial plant !
Be certain to share these tips with your friends and syndicate to keep these insectsaway !
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