Earwigs Are Still Around These Parts

If there is one thing that grosses me out, it is those bugs that seem to come around every year in the Spring and Summer. Earwigs.

As I was heading in to my home, I noticed a few bugs crawling on the patio. And sure enough it was the bugs that have those nice pincers on them. If you had no idea what they are called, they got their name from an old English term, earwicga. 

There was a myth that these pests lay eggs in people's ears. That is not true at all! Earwigs love dark moist places, like underneath a stone in a garden. The only reason why they will come into a home is to hide from the elements.

Even though they are a bug and nasty, there are not bad for the environment. According to the University of Illinois Extension Website:

"They are predators and eat aphids, mites, and insect eggs. However, their alter ego feeds on the flowers of plants, including marigolds, petunias, dahlias, and hostas. Earwigs eat small holes in plant leaves and flowers at night. Leaves and petals have a ragged appearance with irregularly shaped holes. Seedlings and flowering plants can be severely damaged or killed by large earwig populations."

If you have a problem with these pests, there are a couple of neat way to catch them. Take an old can of tuna fish, as the oil on the bottom will make the earwigs stuck. Then there is a piece of cardboard that is lined with peanut butter.

Of course, make sure that you caulk any open areas or use weather strips to keep the bugs out. If you see any inside your house, just vacuum them up.

Hopefully I won't have to see any more of these nasty things. One can only hope right?