Earwigs

Have you ever wondered why earwigs are only found in your bathroom, kitchen, or basement? It may be disconcerting, but earwigs prefer cold, damp places for their nesting grounds. Most likely, they will burrow in the ground during the colder months, but few find their way into the home and hibernate within the warmer walls of the home. That is when you find them crawling around your bathroom and kitchen. They’re definitely not easy to look at!

Earwigs have pincers that look like tweezers at the end of their abdomen that they use to catch prey. Interestingly enough, the male’s pincers are curved while the females’ are straight. Though they are not venomous, they can leave a nasty pinch on your finger as a defense if you attempt to pick one up. Another defense mechanism is that it can leave a yellow-brown liquid as a way to deter enemies. This liquid is foul-smelling but completely harmless.

 

Signs of an Investation

The only way to really know that you have an earwigs infestation is to see the insects themselves within your home. Under rugs, potted plants, and inside stacks of newspapers are all common areas where earwigs can be found.

 

  • The answer to this one is yes AND no. Earwigs can bite, but they do not bite humans. They can, however, give a pinch. And while these pinches may be startling and momentarily painful, they usually do not break the skin and are generally not serious.

  • Well, if you are seeing these insects, they likely have come in through tiny gaps or cracks in your foundation or walls. And, since these are moisture pests, there is a good chance that there are moisture issues surrounding your home which are drawing them in close. To keep more earwigs from entering, it would be wise to repair sources of moisture such as leaky spigots and broken or obstructed gutters which may be causing wood rot on your home. Water damage such as this will not only draw in earwigs but other moisture pests as well. And water-softened wood is also a target for wood-chewing rodents.

  • The answer to this question is a resounding, no. Earwigs do not do this. Neither do they burrow into people's brains, become attached, and eventually drive their host to madness and/or death. While it IS possible for an earwig to crawl into a person's ear, and, doubtless, this has happened from time to time, they are otherwise harmless to humans.