Some pests have adapted to living indoors with people and regularly share our homes; others only occasionally invade our homes. An example of an occasional invader in Houston is the earwig. These moisture-loving pests like to live in damp, dark areas like flower beds and gardens. When their outdoor environment becomes too dry to live comfortably, they often migrate into our homes.
Continue reading here to learn more about these unique insects and what you can do to ensure they don’t become comfortable on your property. With the help of this guide and the Houston pest control professionals at All-Safe Pest & Termite, you can ensure earwigs and other pests don’t take over your yard or move into your home.
What Are Earwigs? A Brief Overview
Earwigs are insects that have long, narrow bodies and are usually reddish-brown or dark brown. The most identifiable feature on earwigs is their cerci. Cerci are pincer-like appendages that extend from the back of their abdomens. Females have straight cerci, and males have curved cerci.
Many people are afraid of earwigs because of their pincers. However, the pincers aren’t strong enough to cause a person much, if any, pain. Earwigs use their pincers to defend themselves from each other and other insects.
Earwigs belong to the order Dermaptera. They are scavenging pests that feed on various things, including plants, animals, and decaying organic matter. These pests are most active at night, and during the day, they hide in dark, damp places. Flower beds, gardens, wood piles, and mulch are common places to discover earwigs gathering in Houston outdoor spaces.
Earwigs Indoors: Their Impact On Your Home
When living outside, earwigs in Houston usually don’t cause people any problems. However, when earwigs live near the perimeter of our homes, they can more easily move into our homes, searching for moisture, shelter, and other resources.
Finding earwigs in your house isn’t dangerous, but it also isn’t something that you should ignore. If these moisture-loving pests are in your home, you should be concerned that a moisture problem is present. Things like leaky pipes, fixtures, and damaged weatherstripping or roofing can allow water into your home that will cause damage to your home in addition to attracting earwigs and other more dangerous household pests like termites.
Natural Earwig Prevention: Protecting Your Garden And Home
Here are some helpful strategies to prevent earwigs from taking over your Houston property:
- Repair leaky pipes and faucets that could cause the build-up of excess moisture in and around your home.
- Install door sweeps on all exterior doorways.
- Rake fallen leaves and other debris away from your home’s foundation.
- Keep shrubs and bushes well-pruned to allow the sun to hit the ground near your home.
- Don’t allow plants in garden areas to become too dense or overgrown.
- Place gravel or sand around the perimeter of gardens to help create a barrier to keep earwigs away.
Additionally, whenever possible, use raised garden beds to help keep plants high and away from earwigs.
An Effective Earwig Removal Method: Contact Us Today!
If you are tired of regularly spotting earwigs in your Houston home, partner with All-Safe Pest & Termite. We offer earwig removal in Houston that you can trust to be effective. We know sharing your home with any pest is unsettling, especially when those pests look like they came off a spaceship. We offer fast, effective services that provide a long-term pest control solution and peace of mind. For effective local pest control, turn to the experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite; call us today for more information about our residential and commercial pest control services in Houston and get a free estimate.