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Earwig Pest Guide: How to Identify, Control, and Prevent Them

Learn how to get rid of your earwigs or pincher bugs with these tips.

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Earwigs? Ew! Don’t worry—these menacing-looking insects don’t have a thing for ears (or wigs). However, they will target your garden plants. Also known as pincher bugs, earwigs can infiltrate both homes and gardens. This guide will help you identify them, recognize damage, control infestations, and prevent them from coming back.

While their pincers look intimidating, earwigs are generally considered nuisance pests rather than serious threats. While their pincers look intimidating, earwigs are generally considered nuisance pests rather than serious threats. As Iowa State University Extension explains, “They may forage among organic debris and mulch, but they’re generally considered minor pests of vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals.”

Here, we’ll show you how to get rid of earwigs and—just as importantly—how to prevent them, all while maintaining your garden’s natural balance.

Tips for Keeping Earwigs Out of Your Home and Garden

Keeping earwigs away starts with making your environment less inviting. Here’s how:

  • Remove hiding spots: Clear mulch, fallen leaves, and debris where earwigs can hide.
  • Create dry zones: Move mulch and plant material at least a few inches from your house foundation.
  • Check items before bringing them inside: Laundry, houseplants, lawn furniture, and firewood can carry earwigs indoors.
  • Encourage natural predators: Birds, toads, and some beneficial insects will eat earwigs.

By taking these steps, you’ll reduce the chances of a surprise infestation in your garden or home.

close-up image of an earwig on a green leaf,
Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) are non-native, invasive pests. Credit: Mario Deambrogio

Do Earwigs Pinch?

The pincers at the end of an earwig’s abdomen look rather formidable. They are capable of pinching (and sometimes biting) humans, but the pinch is not particularly powerful. Earwigs usually use their pincers to ward off enemies like toads and birds, or—in some species—to catch prey.

The pincers, called “cerci,” are also important for romance. Attached at the insect’s abdomen, they are indicators of gender, like tusks on an elephant. A male earwig’s pincers are long and curved, while a female’s are shorter and straighter. 

Identification

How to Recognize Earwigs and Pincher Bugs

Earwigs, also called pincher bugs, are a relatively small group of insects that belong to the Order Dermaptera and have been around for over 200 million years. Nearly 2,000 species exist worldwide, though they are rare in polar regions. The term “earwig” comes from Old English ear wicga (“ear wiggler”), based on the myth that they crawl into human ears. In France, they’re called “ear piercers” (perce-oreilles), and in Germany, “ear worms” (Ohrwürmer).

Key identification and facts:

  • About ¾ inch long
  • Reddish-brown body
  • Pincers (cerci) at the end of the abdomen — males’ are long and curved, females’ are shorter and straighter
  • Quick movers; rarely fly, though they have two sets of wings
  • Nocturnal; hide in dark, damp spaces during the day
  • Females care for their eggs until they hatch
  • Feed on decaying plants, vegetables, flowers, and occasionally other insects

Signs of Earwig Damage in Plants

  • Earwig feeding can be subtle at first, but look for these telltale signs:
  • Leaves with jagged edges and holes
  • Ragged flowers or tender greens
  • Small black pellet-like droppings
  • Damage often appears after rainy periods when earwigs move to dry shelters

Which Plants Are Affected

Earwigs mainly eat decaying plant material and wood, but they’ll also munch on living plants if they have the opportunity. Some of their common targets include:

  • Vegetables: Favorites are lettuce and celery, also cabbage.
  • Fruits: strawberries, tomatoes, and fruit trees
  • Flowers: roses, marigolds, and other garden ornamentals

Knowing which plants are most vulnerable helps gardeners monitor damage more effectively and take preventive measures.

Tip: Damage may look like slugs or snails, but earwigs don’t leave slime trails.

basil plant with earwig damage
Earwig damage involves jagged leaves with holes, which can be seen on this damaged basil plant. 
Photo Credit: Barbara Pleasant.​​​​​​

Control and Prevention

Safe Methods to Control Earwigs in Your Garden

Generally, earwigs are not as much of a threat to your garden as other pests, like Japanese beetles and aphids, though they can be as big an annoyance! They can also produce a foul odor when disturbed, so be aware of this. Try these remedies:

1. Traps

Lay bamboo sections, garden hoses, or rolled-up newspaper in the garden overnight. Check in the morning and dump earwigs into soapy water. Read more about making earwig traps.

2. Oil Pit Traps

Mix equal parts soy sauce and vegetable or olive oil in a small container. Bury it so the top is near soil level. Earwigs are attracted and trapped in the oil.

3. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around plant bases in dry conditions. Avoid flowers to protect pollinators.

4. Alcohol Spray

Mix 70% isopropyl alcohol with water (1:1 ratio). Test on one leaf first. Spray directly on earwigs to kill them on contact.

5. Borax for Woodpiles

Sprinkle lightly around outdoor woodpiles, keeping pets and children away.

Earwigs vs. Other Garden Pests

PestSigns of DamageKey Differences
SlugsJagged leaves, slime trailsLook for shiny slime trail
SnailsHoles in leaves, slime trailsUsually larger holes
EarwigsJagged edges, tiny black pelletsNo slime, nocturnal feeders

How to Prevent Earwigs

The best way to deal with earwigs is to stop infestations before they start. Since these pests thrive in damp, cluttered spaces, prevention focuses on reducing hiding spots and moisture.

In the Garden

  • Clear debris: Remove piles of leaves, mulch, and plant matter where earwigs hide.
  • Space plants wisely: Avoid planting susceptible crops (lettuce, tender greens, or flowers) near dense ivy, hedges, or shaded walls.
  • Encourage predators: Birds and toads feed on earwigs. Consider adding birdhouses, birdbaths, or shaded spots to attract them. See our article on bird-friendly gardens.

Around the Home

  • Keep mulch back from foundations: Leave a strip of bare, dry soil around your house to discourage earwigs from moving indoors.
  • Check items before bringing them inside: Laundry, houseplants, firewood, and outdoor furniture can carry earwigs in.
  • Reduce indoor moisture: Seal cracks, repair leaky faucets, and keep basements dry with ventilation or dehumidifiers.
  • Vacuum strays: If earwigs wander indoors, simply vacuum them up. They’re a nuisance, not a danger.

Seasonal Tip: Expect more earwigs in rainy years, when damp conditions push them closer to plants and homes. Prepare by removing debris early in the season.

Frequently Asked Questions About Earwigs

Do earwigs really crawl into ears?
No. Despite the old myth, earwigs do not crawl into human ears or lay eggs in them. The name comes from Old English ear-wicga, meaning “ear wiggler,” likely inspired by their pincers and nocturnal habits.

Are earwigs harmful to humans or pets? Do their pinches hurt?
Earwigs can pinch with their forceps, but the pinch is not dangerous or venomous. They are more of a nuisance than a threat and do not spread disease.

Why are earwigs called pincher bugs?
Earwigs have prominent pincers (called cerci) at the end of their abdomen. These are used for defense, courtship, and sometimes capturing prey, which led to the nickname “pincher bugs.”

Do earwigs have any benefits in the garden?
Yes. Earwigs eat aphids, insect eggs, and other small pests. However, when their populations grow too large, they may damage tender plants, fruits, and flowers.

Have earwigs in your garden? Try these remedies and prevention steps — and let us know in the comments what worked for you!

Garden Pests

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Katherine Nemet</span> Thu, 05/24/2018 - 07:04
How can I keep the earwigs out of my kitchen? I do live in an apartment here in Guelph. They are showing up only on one side of my kitchen. That is where my microwave and my fridge is on. So is there a trap I can use to get rid of them for good? I am getting tired of looking at them. Right now I am using an ant trip to get them. But that is filling up. This ant trap is like a small box that has glue on it. They are getting trap on that. Plus I am using some oil. But that is not working. There is none in that dish. Thanks, Katherine Nemet
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 05/24/2018 - 13:15

In order to keep earwigs out of the kitchen, you need to keep them out of the house. Earwigs are incidental invaders into houses; you may have carried them in on produce or even on your clothes. Outdoors, they usually dwell in leaf litter, mulch and woodpiles and are common “hitchhikers” on vegetables harvested from the garden. Moving compost and other piles away from the house will aid pest control. Indoors and outside, earwigs are attracted to fish oil, so you can trap them by filling shallow containers with fish oil and burying them so that the lip is level with the ground. You should close/seal any cracks in the foundation or spaces around basement windows and the like. Experts tell us that indoors, they are like cockroaches and linger around food scraps and garbage, so you should store produce and garbage where they can not get at it. There is some good news: From what we can glean, earwigs do not breed indoors.

 <span>Michelle</span> Sun, 09/17/2017 - 18:42
My neighbor said the only thing she finally found that worked was slug bait. I had a really bad problem. I'd get up in the morning and entire plants would be gone. I use the slug and snail pellets and they have worked great so far.
<span>Domenic</span> Tue, 07/31/2018 - 20:14
I spray my plants with a mix of dish soap and water, approx 10/1 ratio once a week or so, it works very well.
<span>Kathy Rose</span> Tue, 07/31/2018 - 16:32
Use small bowls or cups filled with some beer in the garden where you know the slugs are. The slugs love the smell of beer and will center the bowls or cups and drink the beer, get drunk and die in the beer. Clean them out and use again! Really works great!
<span>J.m.</span> Tue, 07/18/2017 - 00:15
I love the idea of diatomaceous earth, and I use it successfully in my chicken coop nesting boxes. However, I read that it will kill other (good) insects that it comes into contact with, so that's why I don't use it in my gardens where it could affect bees, butterflies, worms, etc. who may come into contact with it. Can anyone verify that this is correct? It makes sense to me, since apparently it penetrates the insect's exoskeleton in order to kill it... Thanks in advance!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 07/18/2017 - 11:40

You are correct—DE does not discriminate and will affect beneficial insects if they come in contact with it. However, if you take care to only spread it around the bases of plants, it's unlikely that pollinators like bees and butterflies will encounter it. (Also note that earthworms aren't susceptible to diatomaceous earth, as they do not have an exoskeleton.) Thanks for keeping the good bugs in mind!

 <span>Lee</span> Sun, 07/09/2017 - 00:08
The petroleum jelly didn't work and the pot is too small st the top to put bamboo sections into. I just went outside (it's dark now) and earwigs were all over the tiny plants that can't even get a foothold. What can I do that won't damage the basil, make it inedible or hurt my dogs?
<span>Heathenann Bla…</span> Sat, 07/27/2019 - 11:28
Please note: ALL INSECTICIDES ARE ALL INDISCRIMINATE!! Not only do they kill insects indiscriminatly, insecticides also kill birds, and all other animals that might get sprayed upon. AND PLEASE REMEMBER, REMEMBER; insecticides can also harm humans, especially feotice, small children, and pets. Best NOT to use it at all. Plant extra for the insects, trap, trap, trap, be dilligent. We need to stop poisoning our children, our food and our planet. Signed: A retired Agronomist. (mostly just tired).
<span>Fred Bryant</span> Sun, 02/18/2018 - 21:25
I found that saving my leftover used cooking oil works best. In fact, it works amazingly well. Its's not uncommon to catch and kill up to 300 earwigs per trap in one night. Keeping multiple traps in your garden can completely decimate a colony of earwigs. Just keep checking your traps and emptying the dead bugs when it gets full followed by replenishing the used cooking oil. The way it works is that earwigs breath through there abdomens, so once they fall into the used oil they suffocate in a matter of seconds. No Joke! This really works. So don't throw out your used cooking oil. Pour it into a coffee can or a container that can be sealed and use it for bait. It catches and kills Beatles too.