Earwigs

Many people are afraid of earwigs because they’ve heard frightening things about them. Don’t believe these myths because earwigs are not dangerous. The small insect belongs to the Dermapter order. It stands out from other household pests because it has a unique appearance with smooth, long bodies. It has horny appendages on both sides of its body. These pincers are called cerci and they can pinch your skin. Males have longer and curvier cerci than their female counterparts. The length of the cerci can range from nonexistent to a third of the insect’s body. Although some earwigs have wings, others do not. The winged earwigs have two sets of wings but they usually do not fly.

Their bodies are either brown or reddish and they range from a quarter of an inch to half an inch. The largest earwig species are the Saint Helena Giant Earwig. It can grow up to three inches long. In total, there are more than 900 Dermaptera species with most of these living in areas with temperate climates. Again, these pests are not dangerous so they’re not going to lay eggs in your home.

Causes Of Earwig Invasions

Earwigs do not like hot, dry temperatures. When it gets hot outside, these pests are going to try to enter your home. They prefer warm, dark, moist areas. Your home will provide them with many excellent places to hide. Once they’ve entered a home or business, they’ll begin looking for places to hide. One thing to know about earwigs is the fact that they’re nocturnal. During the day, they’re going to hide in dark, humid spots. They often hide around bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.

When it gets dark outside, they’re going to start looking for food. They generally feed on arthropods and plants. If you have a flea or mite infestation, these pests may attract earwigs.

Are Earwigs Dangerous Pests?

In Chicago, earwigs are primarily a nuisance pest. From time to time, they may use their cerci to pinch. Thankfully, they’re not powerful enough to break your skin and they do not inject venom. Nevertheless, it can feel odd. They’re not dangerous and they won’t damage your structure or belongings. However, they are destructive to plants. It is common for earwigs to destroy blossoms. They’ll thrive by eating decaying matter as well.

Removing Earwigs From A Structure

It can be difficult to tackle an earwig infestation. One thing you’ll want to do is reduce the earwig population around your home. Earwigs tend to approach lights and moisture. Therefore, you need to prevent light from sneaking through your doors and windows. Block the light to ensure it doesn’t attract these pests. In addition to this, you can try switching the lights outside. Get rid of white, mercury vapor, and neon lights because earwigs love them.  Switch to sodium vapor yellow lights since these pests do not like them as much. You’ll also want to take steps to seal any entry points you can find. Seal gaps around your doors and windows. Plus, you need to block holes around plumbing pipes and utility lines.

We’re Ready To Help

We’re ready to begin helping you. When you’ve had enough, pick up the phone and call our office. We’ll get back to you within 48 hours but usually much sooner.

We Use Safe Treatments

When dealing with earwig infestation, we’re going to fix the problem using natural, safe methods. We always work precisely to ensure that our clients are protected from point A to point B. In some cases, conventional methods may be needed. Don’t let this concern you. We’re going to use these products safely too. Our experienced experiences are going to follow precise steps to ensure that you’re protected. We do not use any products that could cause health hazards to people or pets. Instead, we use safe products tested extensively by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The products we use in our clients’ homes are safe for everyone involved. They won’t hurt pets or plants either.

Keeping Earwigs Aware From Your Home

It is best to prevent earwigs from invading your home. If you can keep them away, you won’t need to use our services. It won’t be easy to keep these pests away from your home, but you need to try. If your home has any vulnerabilities, earwigs and other pests will use them to enter your dwelling. Remember that earwigs like moisture and light. Therefore, you need to reduce both. You can start by taking care of moist conditions. For instance, you need to make sure that your rain gutters are working properly. Check your faucet and make sure it isn’t leaking. Deal with any moisture problems you find.

Once you’ve done this, you should caulk any small entry points you can find around your home. Finally, switch to sodium vapor yellow lights because earwigs don’t like them as much.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.