Nuisance and household pests-Earwig

European earwig (Forficula auricularia)

Pest description and damage About 0.625 inch long, light to dark brown, with light-color legs and a pair of pincers on the rear. They feed on young plants and decaying organic matter and occasionally damage clothing.

Management

Outdoors, eliminate hiding places such as plant debris, mulch, and boards from around foundation. Infestations can be reduced by simple trapping: roll up a newspaper, secure it with a rubber band, and place it in areas where earwigs regularly appear. Place these traps in the evening and dispose of them in the morning. In severe cases an exterior treatment may be necessary, but should only be done after conditions favorable to earwigs have been addressed.