Gardening tips

TIPS TO HELP GET RID OF EARWIGS

PREVENTION: Earwigs are very attracted to moisture. They like damp dark places. High populations, invisible during the day, may be present around foundations, in landscaped yards, in mulch, under boards, etc. Eliminate damp, moist conditions in crawl spaces under houses, around faucets, around air-conditioning units and along house foundations. Use caulking compound, putty and weather stripping around doors, windows, pipes and other entry sites, especially at the ground level. Change landscaping by creating a clean, dry border immediately around the foundation wall. Gravel or ornamental stones can make an attractive barrier against earwigs and other pest invaders. Also, as earwigs are attracted to light, it might help to reduce some of the lighting outside at night.

REDUCING THE POPULATION: The best way to get rid of earwigs is to trap them using one of the 15 methods described below and then shake the trapped specimens into hot, boiling water, strong bleach solution or burn them.

1. Leave out short pieces of tubing, hose, bamboo or pipe, preferably blocked at one end or use wet newspapers or towels to attract earwigs during the night. In the morning, drop in a hot soapy pail of water or in a strong bleach solution. The earwigs who gathered there will fall into the water and be destroyed.
2. Use the same beer traps that work for slugs. Bury a container with a few inches of beer in the garden at soil level. Earwigs will come and drown temselves.
3. Smear 1” of bacon grease inside a tin, fill with soapy water and bury flush with the dirt.
4. Mix 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon dry yeast, 1 cup water. Pour ¼” to ½” in cans and bury flush in the garden.
5. Garlic barrier from Gardens Alive mixed with horticultural oil or baby shampoo to help stick.
6. Leave out in a shady spot a moist corrugated piece of cardboard with a plastic bag at the edge. Lift and stuff in bag quickly.
7. Small box on its side next to their favorite plant. Dump in soapy water.
8. The herbs pennyroyal and Cuban oregano are supposed to discourage earwigs.
9. Use Chemicals like Diazinon and Sevin, Bug B Gone.
10. Take a small sour cream or yogurt container or something similar with a top. Punch holes around the top of the container and add one of these mixtures: A) 1” vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce. B) 1 tablespoon each of vegetable oil, soy sauce, molasses. C) 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil, 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce. A favorite method to many people.
11. Trap in newspaper and discard. Place folded or rolled up newspapers in between flowers and vegetables at night. Earwigs will hide between the sheets come daylight.
12. Put a piece of corrugated cardboard which is taped at one end outside. The earwigs will crawl in, but won't be able to get out. The piece of cardboard can then be disposed of, burned.
13. Sprinkle laundry detergent around base of plants.
14. Earwigs don’t like bay leaves
15. Baby chicks eat them.

These tips have been collected by Loretta on the GardenWeb Forum. Thank you!

MORE GARDENING TIPS
Raising from seed
Tips on seed sowing and harvesting
Squirrel problems
Earwig problems
Fall Gardening Tips
How to care for Christmas plants
Winter Indoor Gardening Tips
Spring gardening Tips

Gardening Tips Home \| Objectives \| Calendar \| Projects \| Membership \| Discount \| Executive \| News Exhibitions \| Pictures \| Gardens \| Tips \| Links \| Sponsors \| Guestbook \| Contact TIPS TO HELP GET RID OF EARWIGS PREVENTION: Earwigs are very attracted to moisture. They like damp dark places. High populations, invisible during the day, may be present around foundations, in landscaped yards, in mulch, under boards, etc. Eliminate damp, moist conditions in crawl spaces under houses, around faucets, around air-conditioning units and along house foundations. Use caulking compound, putty and weather stripping around doors, windows, pipes and other entry sites, especially at the ground level. Change landscaping by creating a clean, dry border immediately around the foundation wall. Gravel or ornamental stones can make an attractive barrier against earwigs and other pest invaders. Also, as earwigs are attracted to light, it might help to reduce some of the lighting outside at night. REDUCING THE POPULATION: The best way to get rid of earwigs is to trap them using one of the 15 methods described below and then shake the trapped specimens into hot, boiling water, strong bleach solution or burn them. 1. Leave out short pieces of tubing, hose, bamboo or pipe, preferably blocked at one end or use wet newspapers or towels to attract earwigs during the night. In the morning, drop in a hot soapy pail of water or in a strong bleach solution. The earwigs who gathered there will fall into the water and be destroyed. 2. Use the same beer traps that work for slugs. Bury a container with a few inches of beer in the garden at soil level. Earwigs will come and drown temselves. 3. Smear 1” of bacon grease inside a tin, fill with soapy water and bury flush with the dirt. 4. Mix 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon dry yeast, 1 cup water. Pour ¼” to ½” in cans and bury flush in the garden. 5. Garlic barrier from Gardens Alive mixed with horticultural oil or baby shampoo to help stick. 6. Leave out in a shady spot a moist corrugated piece of cardboard with a plastic bag at the edge. Lift and stuff in bag quickly. 7. Small box on its side next to their favorite plant. Dump in soapy water. 8. The herbs pennyroyal and Cuban oregano are supposed to discourage earwigs. 9. Use Chemicals like Diazinon and Sevin, Bug B Gone. 10. Take a small sour cream or yogurt container or something similar with a top. Punch holes around the top of the container and add one of these mixtures: A) 1” vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce. B) 1 tablespoon each of vegetable oil, soy sauce, molasses. C) 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil, 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce. A favorite method to many people. 11. Trap in newspaper and discard. Place folded or rolled up newspapers in between flowers and vegetables at night. Earwigs will hide between the sheets come daylight. 12. Put a piece of corrugated cardboard which is taped at one end outside. The earwigs will crawl in, but won't be able to get out. The piece of cardboard can then be disposed of, burned. 13. Sprinkle laundry detergent around base of plants. 14. Earwigs don’t like bay leaves 15. Baby chicks eat them. These tips have been collected by Loretta on the GardenWeb Forum. Thank you! MORE GARDENING TIPS Raising from seed Tips on seed sowing and harvesting Squirrel problems Earwig problems Fall Gardening Tips How to care for Christmas plants Winter Indoor Gardening Tips Spring gardening Tips