Have you ever heard of an earwig? Well, you will have after today. We’re going to discuss Florida Earwigs, what they are if they’re harmful, and whether or not they really crawl into your ear!
Florida Earwigs: Overview
Like other indoor pests, earwigs are a year-round nuisance in Florida. These pests can be found throughout the united states, and get their name from a common myth. They say that earwigs crawl inside your ear at night and lay eggs in your brain. Obviously, that’s not true. That doesn’t mean to say that this little bug isn’t pretty creepy looking. They have long, smooth bodies and a set of pincers at the end of their abdomen.
However fierce they may look though, they’re not nearly strong enough to injure a human of any size. The pincers on the back of their bodies aren’t even usually strong enough to kill another earwig. Mostly, they’re used for sparring with rival males. They’re reddish-brown in color and grow to about half an inch in length. The most common Florida earwigs are wingless, though there are species with and without wings.
Earwigs typically live in moist areas outdoors such as piles of leaves, mulch, or under wood. As they feed on decaying plant material, they set up residences near excellent food sources. However, if your area experiences a dry spell, these pests may make their way inside your home through cracks and crevices to find more favorable conditions.
Specifically, during the fall months, earwigs enter homes to find a safe place to stay during the winter. Their love of moisture means you’ll find them in spots like bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. While unsettling to see in the home, they aren’t harmful to humans. They are considered a nuisance pest that feeds on houseplants and can exude an unpleasant odor if frightened. So one of your first signs of an infestation may just be an unholy stink.
More Characteristics
Florida earwigs are numerous, and in the united states, there are about twenty species. As with any other kind of insect with this much variation, biology and habits vary. Most types of earwigs, though, prefer wet areas that are cool and undisturbed. They can also be a serious garden pest. They love ground cover like fallen leaves and mulch, wet soil, and obviously food. These conditions can allow them to do very well.
That stench I mentioned before? Well, it’s a pheromone produced in self-defense. They also believe this smell is why earwigs tend to cluster in large numbers. They typically feed on live sprouts or dead and decaying vegetation. Some species will even prey on smaller insects.
Another reason these guys frighten people so much is their habits. Earwigs are fast-moving for bugs of their size, and run away quickly when clutter is removed to reveal them. They’re also most active at night. During the way, they hide in cracks and those damp areas mentioned above. They can become a nuisance around lights for this reason. Like most other insects, they’re very sensitive to artificial light. To the point that they’ll exhaust themselves on porches and be found clustering in large numbers under whatever shelter is under the light.
Infestation signs
Earwigs aren’t frequent infesters. It can happen, but it’s rare indoors. Earwigs generally tend to move into homes when seeking food or shelter from the weather. They’re not strong diggers or fliers, so it’s usually through an open door or otherwise exposed hole in the house. They’ll also try to enter during extended dry periods to find the moisture they need to live.
As for finding an infestation, it’s pretty on the nose usually. Find one? Grab him up in a cup and let him out a comfortable distance from your home. Like I said earlier, they’re stinky but not dangerous. But if you open up under the sink and find dozens clustered around a leaky faucet, you may just have some work to do.
Earwigs are fast reproducing insects. Like any insect of this nature, I’d recommend against using chemical pesticides. They’re not only unsafe to use in the areas that you’d tend to find earwigs, such as kitchen and bathroom sinks, but if done incorrectly you can stimulate an evolution of sorts where only those with a natural immunity survive.
Florida Earwigs: Prevention
In the garden, preventing this pest species is a pretty easy affair. In fact, I’d hesitate to call this a true pest. Just keep your garden clean and not overly moist. Move landscaping timber, rotting logs, and firewood away from the foundation of your home. You can also create a “dry zone” of about a foot around your house, where you keep plants out so that you don’t attract anything up to the foundation.
Also, examine the gutters and downspouts around your home. Make sure that water actually has someplace to go, otherwise it will just pool in areas around the home that make it more appealing to things like the earwigs. Consider switching up your exterior lighting as well. Outdoor lights that shine towards your house instead of away may help. But also consider special amber bulbs that are shown to be less attractive to nighttime insects. White bulbs are the worst and the most attractive to them.
And, obviously, repair any damage on the exterior of your home. Repair your screens on your storm doors and windows. Do the same for any crawl space vents, taking care not to block them, and fill in any cracks in your walls or gaps in your door and window thresholds.
But if you’ve somehow managed to get a full-on infestation in your home, also consider hiring a pest control specialist. For the layman, prevention or early detection is key. If it gets past that point, swallow your pride and enlist the help of a pro. Even if you manage to get most of them in one area, it only takes a handful of breeding age bugs escaping to see a whole new generation infest a different area of the house!
