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Earwigs

Garden pest · Dermaptera

Description​

Earwigs are insects in the order Dermaptera. Several species visit gardens; the European earwig (Forficula auricularia) is a common one. They have elongated, flattened bodies and a pair of conspicuous pincers at the rear. Most hide by day in cool, damp places and feed at night. Earwigs eat both plants and other small organisms, including aphids, so their presence does not necessarily mean they are causing harm. When numerous, they may chew irregular holes in tender leaves, petals, and soft fruit, and can damage young seedlings. Flowers such as dahlias and marigolds may be especially inviting hiding places. Damage is usually local rather than a threat to an established plant. Earwigs do not inject venom into plants, and their pincers are used chiefly for defense and handling prey. Confirm that they are feeding on the affected plant before trying to control them.

Symptoms​

  • Holes in leaves
  • Insects visible on the plant

How to Identify​

Look for irregular chewing on tender leaves or petals, sometimes with earwigs tucked inside flowers or beneath nearby pots. Inspect the plant after dark with a flashlight: an earwig has a flattened body and unmistakable pincers at its tail. You can also shake a damaged flower over a light-colored sheet of paper. Slugs and snails make similar holes but often leave slime trails; caterpillars may leave dark droppings and lack pincers. Finding an earwig nearby is not proof of damage, since it may be hunting other insects. Repeated nighttime sightings on freshly damaged tissue are stronger evidence.

Prevention​

Keep seedlings and vulnerable flowers under observation, particularly during damp weather. Clear away excess boards, pots, dense weeds, and piles of plant debris immediately beside susceptible plants; these provide daytime shelter. Thin crowded growth where practical and water early in the day so surfaces have time to dry, without withholding water the plant needs. Check blossoms and ripening fruit regularly, and harvest ripe fruit promptly. If earwigs have been troublesome, place simple rolled-paper traps nearby before damage builds; inspect and empty them each morning. Avoid routine broad-spectrum insecticides: they can kill predators as well as earwigs. A few earwigs may help suppress aphids and other small pests, so prevention should focus on plants that are actually being damaged.

Treatment​

First, confirm that earwigs are causing fresh damage. At night, shake them from affected flowers or pick them off by hand and drop them into soapy water. Set rolled, slightly damp newspaper or corrugated cardboard near the plant in the evening; earwigs shelter inside by morning, when you can empty the traps into soapy water. Repeat daily for a week or two. A shallow container with a little vegetable oil can also trap them, but cover or place it so other animals cannot reach it. Remove nearby hiding places and badly damaged fallen fruit. Protect especially vulnerable seedlings or blossoms while their growth is tender. If substantial damage continues, consider a bait specifically labeled for earwigs and for use around the affected plants, following its directions exactly. Keep bait away from children and pets. Broad-spectrum sprays are rarely justified and can harm beneficial insects.

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