Earwigs

The earwig can be a pest in some situations, but it can also be a useful predator, particularly of apple pests such as codling moths and aphids, feeding at night. We are dealing with the harmful affects here. 

Earwigs are elongated, reddish brown, about 1in(2.5cm) in length with pincers at the tip of the abdomen. Earwigs lay eggs in the soil in late winter, which hatch in early spring. There may be a second generation.

Susceptible Plants- Dahlias, clematis, chrysanthemum, and other flowers., strawberries, apricots, sweet corn, and several other vegetables

Symptoms- young shoots and flowers are eaten, leaving large ragged holes. Earwigs are often found in cavities in damaged fruit trees, but usually do not initiate the damage.

Life Cycle- Earwigs feed most actively at nightand seek out dark, cool, moist places to hide during the day. Common hiding places are under loose clods of soil, boards, dense growth of vines or weeds, or even within fruit damaged by other pests such as slugs, snails, birds, or cutworms.Female earwigs dig cells in the ground where they lay masses of 30 or more eggs.

Eggs hatch into small, white nymphs and remain in the cell protected and fed by their mother until their first molt. Later instar nymphs are darker and forage on their own. Generally there is one generation a year, but females produce two broods.

Part of the earwig population hibernates during the winter as pairs buried in cells in the soil. In milder climates, earwigs can remain  active year around..

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Management and Control- Earwigs congregate in areas that are shaded or filled with lush plant material, boards, debris, or organic mulch. Exposed, sunny yards have fewer problems. You can trap earwigs in rolled up newspapers or in old tuna fish cans baited with fish oil or vegetable oil. .

Place traps near the problem areas and check them each morning. Shake live insects into a pail of soapy water to kill them. Converting the backyard to a dry, sunny environment with few hiding places will also help control earwigs.Remove any shelter sites, prune low growing bushes, avoid growing the earwigs’ favored' food plants, and destroy moss and algae. Avoid over watering.

Natural Insectidal Control- Safer® Brand Insect Killing Soap with Seaweed Extract Earwigs can also be controlled with Diatomaceous Earth DE Crawling Insect Killer., a mechanical insect killer, made from the finely ground fossils of prehistoric fresh water diatoms.

 Biological Control-  Beneficial Nematodes - S. Feltiae are effective. Two species of parasitic fly, including Digonichaeta setipermis, have been introduced to help control earwigs naturally. In good years these parasites attack and kill over 1/3 of the earwig population.

Earwig Controls offered by Arbico Organics

Safer® Brand Insect Killing Soap $9.87	Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer $6.36	Beneficial Nematodes - $47.95