If you like having plants inside your home or you are a gardener, you have definitely seen an earwig scuttling around your garden. You can also see them on your pavement or in your basement. Seeing a pinching bug can give you an unsettling feeling and even make you feel like you are stepping into a dirty place. If you live in Katy, don't let these filthy insects stress you. Contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for reliable and efficient pest control in Katy. We have been in this business for a while and know all the best ways to eliminate and prevent earwigs from moving to your property and dominating it.
Earwigs Are Very Creepy Looking Pests
We can all agree that an earwig bug is scary and creepy. The menacing hooks at the end of their bodies and the appendages make them look like creatures from a horror movie. It's no doubt why most people can't wait to remove them from their homes permanently. There are many other small bugs that look like earwigs, but if you study their features carefully, you will be able to tell them apart.
Earwig bodies are flat, and they have pincers. They also have earwig wings, but they rarely fly. Earwig eggs take one week to hatch, and the nymphs take about 60 days to mature into adults. They are usually brown or black, but sometimes, they can also have red stripes. There are about 2000 earwig species spread worldwide.
Do Earwigs Really Go Into Your Ear?
Earwigs got their name from an ancient myth that stated these insects could crawl into people's ears and lay eggs in their brains. However, nothing could be further from the truth. These insects avoid human contact as much as possible. If you threaten them, they can bite you, but an earwig bite is not painful. They use their pincers to scare away predators, including birds and frogs. They can also use them to catch their prey, consisting of small insects like aphids, armyworms, and grubs.
Additionally, earwigs eat soft greens like lettuce and celery, flowers, fruits, maggots, insect eggs, decaying plant material, and wood. They like wet, dark places like woodpiles and basements and are nocturnal creatures, coming out at night to eat. Nevertheless, they don't crawl into your ears since there is nothing of interest there for them.
Tips To Prevent Earwigs In Your Home
Earwigs in Katy prefer being in the garden, where they can find plenty of things to eat. They might start eating your plants when they run out of mulch and other insects. They make small holes in leaves, and that is when you will start thinking of eliminating them before they destroy all plants. Here are some steps to prevent them from attacking your home and ruining your plants.
- To avoid earwigs from congregating, don't grow bushy plants too close to your home, especially if hedges and ivy are on the walls.
- Keep mulch far from the foundation of your house and create an area of pure soil that will dry completely.
- Always examine everything closely before bringing it into your house, such as firewood, vegetables, laundry, houseplants, furniture, and flowers.
- Birds feed on earwigs. Learn how to make your garden enticing to birds.
- Get rid of all the moisture in and around your home by repairing or replacing all leaking faucets and pipes and using dehumidifiers in humid rooms.
- Avoid using stones to decorate your home since they like to hide underneath.
- Keep the gutters clean and ensure they work properly, and drain water far from your house.
- Wipe surfaces with spilled food and store food in airtight containers.
- Avoid leaving pet water and food outside at night.
- Vacuum your house often.
- Avoid using too much mulch. It shouldn't be more than two inches deep.
- Anticipate seeing more earwigs inside your home during rainy seasons, and remove decaying plants and other places they might hide.
- Cover all crevices, holes, and cracks where earwigs can enter. Repair or replace broken window frames, vents, screens, and doors.
Keeping these scary insects out of your home will require effort, but it will all be worth it. If you involve All-Safe Pest & Termite, we will help you prevent an earwig infestation. We will also check regularly to see if the situation has improved.
How Do I Get Rid Of Earwigs For Good?
Are you tired of seeing creepy earwigs inside or around your home? Are you scared of removing them yourself and want them out for good? If they are causing you problems, pour some diatomaceous earth around plant stalks or beds. If this doesn't work, it's time to bring in home pest control professionals. At All-Safe Pest & Termite, we will come ready, assess the situation, determine their entry points, and use effective tactics to eliminate them. We enjoy making our customers' homes more habitable by eliminating pests like earwigs which can be a nuisance and an unpleasant sight. Call us today for quality and dependable earwig control services in Katy.