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How To Get Rid Of Earwigs

Under cover of darkness, a frightening looking creature crawls into the ear of a sleeping person, gets as far as the brain, burrows there and lays eggs. Feeding on the brain, the little monster grows while its helpless victim eventually dies. Actually, this myth associated with earwigs has nothing to do with reality. Earwigs are one of those few insect species that have fallen victims to human prejudice, but still, as the saying goes, there is no smoke without a fire. Earwigs can accidentally wander into the human ear canals, but that’s it! No terrible consequences outlined above would follow in this case.

Nevertheless, earwigs are pests and they cause damage to human property which is of quite a different nature. This is what the article is about. You will learn how to get rid of earwigs according to scientists’ recommendations, in particular, how to kill earwigs, as well as repel and trap them. The article covers the most effective methods of earwig control both in the house and in the garden. In addition, there is a review of the highest rated products available on to help you make a right choice.

TOP 7 Products Killing Earwigs

In the product review below, we have picked up the most popular products intended for getting rid of earwigs both indoors and outdoors. By means of these solutions you will be able to launch a counterattack against earwigs on all fronts. Special yellow light bulbs will help trick out these pests so that they are not able to see your house. Sticky traps will hold tight the pests which have penetrated indoors while diatomaceous earth will kill those hiding in crevices and cracks. Eco-friendly pellets based on Spinosad will be a great solution for the garden treatment but in case you prefer sprays, a powerful concentrate can be an option for you. Pellets with the active ingredient metaldehyde will play a terrible trick with earwigs — attract them to kill. If you stake on natural solutions only, take advantage of nematodes which will infect earwigs when released in the area.

LED Yellow Bug Light Bulbs

This bulb neither kills nor repels earwigs, but it accomplishes a very important task — makes your house invisible to earwigs. As part of a complex pest control strategy, this function is a crucial one because you will be able to leave porch lights on in the evening and at night and will not risk attracting earwigs which are active at the nighttime.

TCP 5W Equivalent LED Yellow Bug Light Bulbs, Non-Dimmable

TCP Yellow Bug Light Bulb will serve for a long time, about 25,000 hours, that characterizes the product as a reliable and cost-efficiency one. It is also a way to kill two birds with one stone: you get comfortable and bright enough illumination while pests are staying away. The thing is that typically earwigs perceive the wavelength range between 650 and 300 nm, which means their failure to see yellow color.

Apart from that, there is one more strong point. The bulb is equal to a 40W incandescent one but uses only 5W contributing in such a way to enhanced energy consumption in your house. The Bug Light Bulb has scored 4.2 out of 5 stars in reviews. “I have a home in North Carolina, and before this bulb it was impossible to sit on the porch at night with all the bugs around the light. I can honestly say this solved the problem,” a customer comments.

Price:  Check the current price

90 Trapper Monitor For Earwigs

These traps designed specifically for earwigs and the like are available in a package including 30 sheets of 3 traps each. Depending on how many sites you want to cover, you may separate each of the traps or use a whole sheet, for example, in a place of heavy infestation. The critters are captured on a sticky surface with strong adhesives lasting up for a year. A very effective and reliable solution, however the product has an evident downside — it is intended for indoor use only. The manufacturer suggests placing the traps behind furniture, in attics, basements or behind toilets.

Trapper Insect Trap (Great for Bed Bugs, Spiders, Cockroaches) - Includes 90 Traps

Trapper Monitor rates 4.5 out of 5 stars in reviews. Although, it is noteworthy to comment that the customers did not report having caught a lot of bugs. Typically, a limited number of them can be eliminated in such a way.

Price:  Check the current price

Monterey LG6575 Sluggo Plus 1 Pound

These pellets based on Spinosad are recommended by scientists as effective and eco-friendly insecticide. It is compatible with organic crops, be it vegetables or fruits, and is relatively safe. It can also be applied to trees, shrubbery and flowers, in other words, almost everywhere! At the same time, this is a powerful solution since the stuff kills target pests at all stages from eggs to adults. Sluggo Plus is definitely popular with customers, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars in the reviews.

Monterey LG6575 Sluggo Plus Wildlife and Pet Safe Slug Killer, for Insects, 1 lb

A customer beginning her comment by saying “All I can say is WOW”, notes that the pellets produce effect within 24 hours and the next night after application, almost all earwigs are gone. And that is not all. It is a long-lasting solution given that, several months later, only few of these pests have been seen in the treated area. Another customer is satisfied with the results after treating his garden plot with an area of about 225 square feet planted with kale, broccoli and cauliflower. “Most did well enough, but what kale the quail didn’t nibble, the slugs and earwigs chewed to useless lace. The 1-lb carton of Sluggo Plus was sufficient to treat the plot, and now we’re reaping meal after meal-worth of lovely greens,” he says.

Price:  Check the current price

Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer Concentrate

The concentrate labeled for earwig control has the active ingredient gamma-cyhalothrin. Among its evident strong points is durable effect lasting up to three months and a large area coverage amounting to more than 5,000 square meters. The solution is for outdoor use and intended to be applied to plants, vegetables, flowers and trees in the garden. Using Triazicide, you will get a stuff killing the pests both above and below the ground.

Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer For Lawns & Landscapes Concentrate (Ready-To-Spray), Protects Lawns, Vegetables, Fruit & Nut Trees, Roses, Flowers & Shrubs, 32 fl Ounce

To make applications, attach the bottle to a hose and spray the infested areas. Pay attention to earwig hiding places around the tree trunks and under plant debris. Despite being a chemical insecticide, the concentrate is safe for pets and children but only when dried. In sunny days, it usually takes no more than an hour. Triazicide concentrate has scored 4.0 out of 5 stars in reviews. Analyzing customers’ feedback, one may come to the conclusion that sprays are not as effective against earwigs as dusts and pellets are.

Price:  Check the current price

Safer Brand Diatomaceous Earth, 4 Pound Bag

A powder based on diatomaceous earth is cost-efficient solution as it can be applied both indoors, sprinkled into crevices and cracks, and outdoors to reduce a pest infestation. The stuff kills insects either by ingestion or dehydration within a couple of days. According to the manufacturer, the product is labelled for a number of notorious pests including earwigs.

Safer Home SH51703 OMRI Listed Diatomaceous Earth - Ant, Roach, Bedbug, Flea, Silverfish, Earwig, & Crawling Insect Killer

There are three major advantages of using Safer Brand Diatomaceous Earth. First, it is natural and does not contain chemicals what makes the powder safe for humans. Second, in contrast to the situation with all other insecticides, pests are not able to develop immunity against DE. Therefore, you can use the product frequently, if need be, while its effectiveness will not decrease. And yet, there are some downsides. The major one is that diatomaceous earth will not work in case it is occasionally dampened. For this reason, take care to store the product in dry spaces. At the same time, this peculiarity of DE raises a question of where to sprinkle the powder outdoors, given the fact that earwigs thrive in moist areas only.

DE rates 4.1 out of 5 stars in customer reviews. Some of the users have shared their successful experience in earwig control with the help of diatomaceous earth. They highlight that the product is great for pet owners because, unlike chemicals, it is absolutely harmless for the animals. “Bought it to spread on the ground around bee hives to eliminate earwigs – works great and no danger to bees,” one of the satisfied customers says. “It is a bit messy when applying, but the results are worth it,” another one notes.

Price:  Check the current price

Ortho Bug Geta Plus, 3 Pound

These pellets are a kind of death trap for earwigs: they first attract the pests and then kill them. With active ingredients including Bitrex, ingestion deterrent and metaldehyde, the product provides a long-lasting earwig control of up to a month. It can be applied around vegetables and fruits, however, check the label to learn which ones. Among its advantages is that the stuff is a rainproof and does not need to be reapplied after irritation of the garden.

Ortho Bug-Geta Snail & Slug Killer2, 2 lb

It seems that Ortho pellets are really in demand, rating 4.4 out of 5 stars. According to customer reviews, the product does the job but some users point to the fact that it is quite toxic and homeowners should be careful with it. In general, the customers agree that the solution kills earwigs: “This is great against earwigs that were turning my plants into lace leaves,” one of the customers says. “It’s really helped clear out my earwig infestation. While I wanted to rely only on essential oils, the earwigs had gotten out of control”, another buyer shares his experience.

Price:  Check the current price

10 Million Live Beneficial Nematodes

Using beneficial nematodes to kill earwigs is a good, organic solution but should be considered a supplementary measure though. The idea has come from the biology of nematodes known as Steinernema carpocapsae which kill pests by releasing bacteria. Scientists from the University of California Davis claim that earwigs are susceptible to infection of these nematodes. According to the study conducted by them, the larger the earwig is, the higher mortality rates were observed.

Natures Good Guys - Triple Blend Beneficial Nematodes HB+SC+SF (50 Million)

This particular product affects over two hundred pests encountered in the garden and is worth trying against earwigs. One of its strong points is that this solution is absolutely eco-friendly and safe both for humans and pets. Nor will these nematodes inflict any damage to plants and flowers. This pack will be enough to cover 200 square feet of the area. Although you will deal with living organisms, the nematodes can be applied easily, just sprinkle them around the affected turf or mix with water and spray the sites where earwigs have been noticed.

Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes rate 4.0 out of 5 stars. “They have been in the ground about a week, and I see much less earwig damage on my beans and other veggies,” one of the customers describes his experience in using nematodes.

Price:  nematodes“>Check the current price

Top 7 Earwig Killing Product: Comparative Chart

ProductType
LED Yellow Bug Light Bulb
TCP 5W Equivalent LED Yellow Bug Light Bulbs, Non-Dimmable
illumination
Trapper Monitor, 90 items
Trapper Insect Trap (Great for Bed Bugs, Spiders, Cockroaches) - Includes 90 Traps
trap
Monterey LG6575 Sluggo Plus, 1 Pound
Monterey LG6575 Sluggo Plus Wildlife and Pet Safe Slug Killer, for Insects, 1 lb
pellets
Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer, 32 fl oz
Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer For Lawns & Landscapes Concentrate (Ready-To-Spray), Protects Lawns, Vegetables, Fruit & Nut Trees, Roses, Flowers & Shrubs, 32 fl Ounce
concentrate
Ortho Bug Geta Plus, 3 Pound
Ortho Bug-Geta Snail & Slug Killer2, 2 lb
pellets
Safer Brand, 4 Pound
Safer Home SH51703 OMRI Listed Diatomaceous Earth - Ant, Roach, Bedbug, Flea, Silverfish, Earwig, & Crawling Insect Killer
diatomaceous earth
Live Beneficial Nematodes, 10 Million
Natures Good Guys - Triple Blend Beneficial Nematodes HB+SC+SF (50 Million)
earwig natural enemies

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