EARWIGS

• Everyone has seen an earwig. They are everywhere from Aachen to Zyryanka!
• They are one of the oldest insects on our planet. They haven't evolved a lot except to become smaller.
• They will run toward you which makes you think they are aggressive but in reality they are running for the closest dark place to hide, like under your shoe!
• Earwigs are about 1" long (2.5 cm) with a hard, reddish brown shell and pinchers at the tail end.
• They don't bite but the pinchers on their tails can give a nasty pinch if they get trapped under you.
• If your plants are getting chewed to pieces and the roots are shredded then there may be earwigs in your garden.
• Flip over a rock or some mulch and if you see a bunch of them scurrying away then you definitely have an earwig problem.
• Use a floating row cover to keep your plants safe underneath. Lay it early in the season before earwigs start to get out and roam.
• You can make an earwig trap using empty margarine tubs or pop cans.
  1. Half-fill the margarine tub or soft drink can with the used, soapy dishwater.
  2. Turn it on its side and bury the trap halfway in a shady spot in your garden or around the yard.
  3. If you are allowed, use flat beer instead and your traps will also catch slugs.
  4. After a couple of days empty and refill the trap with new used dishwater or beer.
  

• Alternately, you can mix 1/4 teaspoon (2 ml) dish washing soap to 3 cups (1 L) of water in a spray bottle.
• Squirt the earwigs with the mixture when you find them hiding in damp places and under rocks.
  
• If you have a severe problem with earwigs try this non-chemical method:
  1. Put a damp, rolled up newspaper in the garden each night.
  2. This will attract hundreds of earwigs in a heavily infested area.
  3. In the morning, dump the newspaper into a large bucket of hot, soapy water to kill the earwigs.
  4. Dispose of the wet newspaper in your compost pile.