Nashville's Complete Guide To Effective Earwig Control

Earwigs are a pest with a very menacing appearance. You might find them scary or wonder if they are dangerous. However, despite their looks, they are mostly considered a nuisance pest.

While earwigs aren't really dangerous to human health, there is something about them that is really disconcerting. They have pincers coming out of the ends of their bodies, so even if you know they won’t sting you, coming across one in your Nashville home can still fill you with dread.

Because they are a nocturnal pest, you’re more likely to encounter them at night. They also prefer damp, shaded, moist environments that aren’t commonly disturbed by humans. Inside the house, they are often found near houseplants, along floorboards, or under cabinets.

What Do Earwigs Look Like?

Earwigs do have a distinctive appearance, but not everyone knows exactly what they look like, and it can be hard to tell them apart if you only get a brief look at them. We’ve provided a guide to help you identify earwigs:

They have two pairs of wings.
They are reddish-brown in color.
They have long, thin bodies.
They have a pair of forceps that extends from the bottom of their abdomens.
They have six legs and one pair of antennae.

Are Earwigs Really Harmless?

Growing up, you might have heard a few tales about earwigs that just aren’t true. Because they can look sinister, many people believe earwigs are more dangerous than they really are. The most common myth surrounding earwigs is that they often crawl into your ears and enter your brain to lay eggs. This is a terrifying, mistaken belief that is just not true. Even if an earwig does somehow crawl into your ear, they aren’t looking to get into your brain to lay eggs.

Earwigs aren’t considered to be dangerous to you, your family, or your pets. They aren't known to spread diseases, sting, bite, or cause allergic reactions. While, just like with all insects, any food that earwigs touch will need to be thrown away.

What Are Some Ways To Prevent an Earwig Infestation?

Just because earwigs aren’t dangerous, it doesn’t mean they are a welcome houseguest. Earwigs can sometimes be hard to remove because they can reproduce quickly. So, prevention is often one of the best ways to keep earwigs from appearing.

Here are some of the best earwig prevention tips to reduce the factors that attract them in the first place:

Clean up dead wood and other decaying matter from your property
Store firewood piles at least 30 feet from the foundation of your home
Remove mulch, dead leaves, and other organic material from the building’s foundation
Trim trees and shrubs that create shady areas near your home or other buildings on the property
Make sure that gutters drain correctly
Since earwigs are attracted to light, keep porch lights off when it's dark
Adjust outdoor lighting to point away from your home if possible
Repair screens in doors and windows to keep earwigs from coming inside
Address underlying moisture issues by using dehumidifiers and fixing leaky plumbing

The Most Effective Way To Prevent Earwigs

Despite the fact that earwigs are mostly just a nuisance pest, they are still really repulsive to have around your Nashville property. Even though they don’t bite or sting, many people are afraid of them, and they can become invasive and hard to control on your own. The most effective way to keep earwigs out of your home, or to remove any current earwig problems, is to get help from the experts at Urbanex Pest Control. For advice and assistance, give us a call today.

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