Simple Guide to Earwigs for Phoenix Homeowners

You may know earwigs from the urban legend of the bug that crawls into your ears while you’re sleeping. We’re pleased to tell you that is not what an earwig does.

Like many insects, they are most active at night in Phoenix eating plants and insects. Using pincers located at the back of their abdomen, they defend themselves from predators including other earwigs. They are entirely too busy to get in your ear but you may find them in your garden or under a sink.

Where to Find Earwigs

While they are active at night, they spend their days in damp cracks, under rocks, and in flower beds and gardens. Their favorite foods are insects, making them popular with some gardeners, but when bugs run low, earwigs may take to eating your plants and flowers.

Earwigs burrow in the ground. Females lay eggs in these burrows, staying with the eggs until they hatch. She then tends to the nymphs until they are old enough to find their own food.

Just like with termites, when the heat dries the ground, earwigs look for wetter environments. The most likely places you will see these mostly-ground insects in your Phoenix home is near water in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Some can fly and you may find them around lights inside and outside your home.

In your yard, earwigs can be found almost anywhere including in mulch, dead leaves, or other organic material. They will turn to these alternative sources of food when their favorite insects and plants have been eaten.

Getting Rid of Earwigs

While they may look like a vicious predator with their pincers and a little pinch, they will do almost no damage to humans and are not poisonous. They are more of a nuisance than anything else.

Earwigs can infest your home inside and out, making it important to call Budget Brothers Termite and Pest Elimination to get rid of these (and other) unwanted pests.

And remember, just because earwigs aren’t necessarily dangerous themselves, they are often food for other pests. This means on unchecked infestation can turn into several.