Earwigs

– Check under mulch and stones at night.
– Look for slender, dark bugs with rear pincers.
– Find them in damp basements and garages.

Reduce exterior moisture and harborage (mulch management); perimeter residual insecticide applied to foundation and entry points; trapping with rolled damp newspaper to capture and discard. The first step is to dry out the area near the home. Moving mulch back takes away their hiding spots. A pro treats the foundation and entry points. Simple damp paper traps can catch and remove them too.

We cut mulch and damp spots near foundations. Then we treat the foundation line with a residual spray.

– Keep mulch and organic debris at least 12 inches from the foundation.

– Fix drainage issues and ensure ground slopes away from the house.

– Seal cracks and gaps in the foundation, siding, and door thresholds.

– Move firewood, stones, and lumber piles away from the home exterior.

– Install yellow outdoor lighting to reduce earwig attraction to the home.

– Keep mulch and leaves one foot from foundation.

– Fix yard drainage so water runs away from house.

– Move wood and stones away from your walls.

Moist soil, leaf litter, mulch, compost, and under stones or bark; nocturnal; enters structures through ground-level cracks during hot, dry spells or after heavy rain. Earwigs hide in damp soil, mulch, and leaf piles. They come out at night to feed. They slip indoors through cracks near the ground. Hot, dry weather or heavy rain often drives them inside.

Earwigs are common in Portland gardens and mulch beds. Rainy spells push them indoors.