DESCRIPTION

Earwigs, or forficulas, measure 1 to 2 cm in length as adults. Their bodies are covered with a shiny reddish-brown carapace or cuticle. The abdomen is often darker than the head and thorax. Very elongated in shape, the earwig is an insect with two long antennae and a pair of chewing mouthparts. It has small wings that it hardly ever uses, except for gliding. Juveniles resemble adults, but they are lighter in color and wingless.

DEVELOPMENT

Earwigs are nocturnal: they avoid light. During the day, they spend most of their time in crevices in the ground, under the bark of dead trees, in the hollows of flowers, or between the petals of large flowers. At night, they come out and search for food.
After mating, which takes place in summer, the females lay eggs. The larvae will develop into adults a few months later. The females appear to care for the young. With the first cold weather and frosts of autumn (around October), earwigs burrow into the ground to hibernate. Most male earwigs die in winter, while the females of the current year survive. About a month later, they dig a small burrow, isolate themselves inside, and lay several dozen white, round, and translucent eggs (up to sixty). Around mid-May, the earwig larvae hatch.
The females tend to their eggs and larvae with meticulous care until the last of the four molts the larvae undergo. At this stage, they resemble the adults but are smaller and wingless. The young adults typically emerge in July and remain active until the first frosts.
Earwigs are often considered garden helpers because they are voracious consumers of so-called "harmful" or "pest" insects. They also eat very ripe or beginning-decomposing plants.
Earwigs become problematic when they infest garden furniture and patios, or when they enter building structures through ventilation openings in brick walls, requiring both interior and exterior intervention.

PREVENTION

Here are some tips to prevent an earwig infestation:
  • 01
    Regular maintenance of your property will help reduce the risk of infestation. Be sure to remove any organic debris that accumulates on the soil surface.
  • 02
    Keep firewood, mulch, and damp wood as far away from the house as possible. Earwigs are more likely to infest a property if their natural habitat is nearby.
  • 03
    Shake vigorously and thoroughly inspect the plants before bringing them into the house.
  • 04
    Clear away dead leaves and plant debris around your house.
  • 05
    Install mosquito nets
  • 06
    Prune your plants and shrubs
  • 07
    If you have a vegetable garden, make sure you harvest your fruits and vegetables quickly.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Here are some tips to follow in case of an earwig infestation:
  • Spray the earwigs with soapy water
  • Remove debris and decaying organic matter
  • In spring, work the soil in warm, dry weather to disturb adult earwigs and destroy eggs and larvae by exposing them to the sun.
Contact us to protect yourself from the nuisance caused by earwigs with a targeted and safe intervention plan implemented by our team of exterminators. RD offers personalized service for all your pest management needs!