Earwigs

Professional Earwig Pest Control Louisville KY

The earwig has a unique story, unlike any other insect. The tale goes like this, the earwig was discovered living in the brain of a human. While living in the brain, the earwig supposedly reproduced. With no evidence available, there is no way to validate the earwig tale.

Earwigs are small insects with “cerci,” curvature pincers that work like surgical forceps. The insect relies on its cerci for every aspect of survival. Cerci are utilized in combat and to fight off predatory birds, lizards, spiders, frogs, and assassin bugs.

The adult grows up to 2 inches in length, with the exception of the largest Dermaptera member – Saint Helena giant earwig. At about 3 inches long, Saint Helena is one of more than 900 species that belong to the order Dermaptera.

Why Are Earwigs In My Basement?

Earwigs infiltrate basements and crawlspaces to overwinter, a dormant state similar to hibernation. Overwintering earwigs make routine body position changes, surviving on minimal nutrients that originate from stored fats.

Earwigs, like most overwintering pests, prefer spending the winter indoors. Whether it be a damp, dark, cool basement or crawlspace, anything is better than spending months exposed to the elements. Following home infiltration, earwigs spend their time in hiding in the overwintering state.

In their natural habitat, earwigs take refuge underneath piles of firewood or old lumber, in shrubs, and anywhere away from the icy rain, snow, and cold winds. These nocturnal insects only come out at night after waking up from the overwintering state.

Do Earwigs Sting?

No, earwigs do not have a stinger. However, they will utilize their cerci to defend themselves from capture. In the overwintering state, earwigs do not ingest food or breed. They remain in hiding until the weather begins to warm outdoors, which is generally in late spring.

The earwig’s cerci are powerful enough to rip through plant leaves and smaller insects. But, they are not strong enough to break the human skin. Experts believe victims will not experience any discomfort or allergic reaction.

Dealing With Earwig Infestations

Earwigs are difficult to deal with. To fix the problem, you’ll need to start by removing the earwigs around your property. Remember that earwigs tend to be attracted to moisture and light. If you can reduce the moisture and light around your property, you’ll be able to keep most of them away. You’ll also want to try switching to different lights. Using sodium vapor yellow lights is recommended because they’re less likely to attract earwigs and other pests. Stay away from mercury vapor and neon lights because earwigs prefer them. Finally, make sure that your exterior walls are sealed. Fill in any gaps that you can find immediately.

Our Technicians Are Ready To Help

Have earwigs invaded your home? Contact our office. Our technicians are ready and eager to help you solve this problem. We’ll contact you within a day or so.

Safe Earwig Solutions In Louisville

Some exterminators use dangerous methods to eradicate earwigs in Louisville. We do not. We strive to provide our clients with safe techniques. Plus, we provide consistent results. Our natural earwig methods are recommended. There is always a chance that we’ll need to fix the problem using conventional tools. When this happens, we’re going to do what we can to protect you. We’ll use these products cautiously to reduce the potential risks. Our technicians know how to properly use EPA-registered products safely. We’ll walk you through the process so you’ll know what to expect.

Avoiding Earwig Infestations

It is often difficult to stop pests from invading your home. One thing you can do is make sure that your exterior walls are fully sealed. Find and deal with any cracks or gaps immediately. If earwigs find a gap on your wall, other pests will too. Then, they’ll invade your home time and time again. Remember that earwigs like moisture areas. Large colonies tend to stay near woodpiles. Eliminating moist conditions can help. For instance, you’ll need to make sure that your gutters are working properly. Check your faucets to ensure that they’re not leaking. Sealing areas around windows, pipes, and doors are recommended. Make sure that caulk is used to seal these gaps.

Keep your home and property dry to ensure that earwigs do not infest your home again.

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