How People Are Mistaken About Earwigs In New Jersey (And How They Are Not)

When people hear about earwigs, they sometimes have horrible thoughts of a small, gross bug crawling into their ear and making a home. This is a disgusting thing to think about and sounds like something out of a horror movie. The truth about earwigs is much different. Earwigs don’t make homes in people’s ears. In fact, they are no more likely than any other bug to accidentally get into someone's ear, mouth, nose, etc. So, don’t worry, earwigs won’t lay eggs in your ear.
 
The real reason why earwigs are so annoying to have in your home is because of their appearance. They are really unsettling and rather creepy to look at because of certain features. They have “cerci” which look like pincers on their backsides. These along with their brown bodies and long antennae make them particularly gross.

Are Earwigs Dangerous?

There are some pests that are dangerous to humans. Pests like cockroaches can spread germs to food sources and give humans diseases like salmonella. Other pests like termites can do damage to the structure of your home. But, thankfully, if you notice an earwig infestation, you don’t have to worry about them being dangerous to you or your home. Earwigs are considered nuisance pests. While they might look dangerous, they don’t bite. They may cause a small pinch if you are holding them, but this won’t cause any real harm.

Earwigs:

• Don’t carry diseases that are harmful to people.
• Don’t cause structural damage.
• Aren’t likely to cause allergic reactions.

The only real risk with earwigs is that they might ruin vegetation around your home. While they mostly tend to eat decaying plant matter, they sometimes eat living plants as well.

Ways To Keep Earwigs Out Of Your Home

Earwigs aren’t extremely common inside homes, but they do make their way inside sometimes. They are attracted to moist and dark areas. This means that they tend to look for shelter inside when outside is really dry or too hot. They can slip inside through the tiniest cracks in the foundation or under doors or through basement windows. They tend to be found in places such as closets, basements, and bathrooms as they thrive in these dark, damp conditions. Since they eat decaying plant matter, they might get into a house because of plants being near your home or because someone brings an infested plant inside.

There are a few things you can do to prevent earwigs, including:

• Caulk and seal cracks and holes in the foundation of the home.
• Use door sweeps.
• Make sure there is a barrier of dry material (such as crushed rock) between soil or grass and the foundation of your home.
• Get rid of decaying plant matter in your yard.
• Use dehumidifiers and fix leaky pipes to reduce humidity.

Getting Rid Of Infestations

While there are some things you can do to prevent earwigs, nothing is completely certain. If you do find yourself with an infestation, the best way to quickly and effectively get rid of them is to contact the professionals at Arrow Pest Control in New Jersey. Give us a call today to learn more. 

Home Protection Program

Service consists of the elimination of your current pest or rodent problem, complemented by both interior and exterior year-round protection of your home, which is inclusive of three seasonal visits. The program covers your entire property including attics, mailboxes, playsets, sheds, and fences.

Pests targeted with Arrow’s Home Protection Plan services include ants (excluding carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), bees, boxelder bugs, carpenter bees, carpet beetles, centipedes, cicada killers, clover mites, crickets, digger bees, earwigs, fabric & paper pests, fleas (inside only), ground beetles, hornets, mice, pillbugs, millipedes, rats, roaches, silverfish, sowbugs, spiders, springtails, stored product pests, and wasps.

*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.

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