Earwig
Forficula auricularia
52 host plants
Last updated
Earwigs are reddish-brown insects with prominent pincers at their rear that feed on flower petals and fruits of stone fruits and ornamentals. You will see ragged damage on blossoms and fruit, particularly late in the season. Though earwigs are often blamed for damage, they also consume many pest insects and mites. Damage is usually minor unless populations become very high, and fruit damage is mostly cosmetic.
Earwig damage is tolerable and requires no treatment in most garden settings. If populations become excessive, remove ground debris and dense mulch where they hide during the day. Create earwig traps using oil-filled cans placed in the soil to monitor and potentially reduce populations. Do not use broad-spectrum insecticides; earwigs provide beneficial pest control even while causing minor cosmetic damage. Most home gardeners simply accept earwigs as part of a healthy garden ecosystem.
Quick Reference
Earwigs are elongate, flattened, reddish-brown insects about 0.75 inch in length. They are identified easily by the forceps-like pincers on the end of the abdomen. Adults have chewing mouthparts and are winged. Young earwigs (nymphs) are similar in appearance but smaller and lack wings. Earwigs are harmless to humans or animals, though they may give a slight pinch with their forceps-like appendages. They can emit a foul-smelling liquid if alarmed. Earwigs feed primarily on decaying organic...
Cultural Controls
- -cultural control Home orchardists: Cultivation of the soil in early spring in areas where earwigs are present will disturb nests and expose eggs to predators.
- Do not allow debris and decaying organic matter to accumulate in the garden.
- Earwigs can be trapped by using sticky material such as Tanglefoot applied to the trunk of the tree to prevent their crawling up.
- Before the emergence of the nymphs, wrap the trunk tightly with plastic wrap to ensure the insects cannot crawl beneath the wrap....