Earwig identification and control

How to identify an earwig

The common earwig (*Forficula auricularia*) is brown, narrow and flattened, about 13 to 15 mm long according to the RHS, with a pair of pincers (forceps) at the rear. Males have more curved pincers; females have straighter ones. It has wings folded under short wing cases but BPCA says it does not fly. It is mainly active at night.

The lesser earwig is smaller, about 6 mm, and lives mostly in compost heaps.

Lookalikes

• Rove beetles, including the devil's coach horse, raise their tail like a scorpion but have no pincers.
• Cockroaches are broader and have long thin feelers and no pincers.
• Silverfish have three thin tail bristles, not pincers. See silverfish.
• Young earwigs (nymphs) are paler and smaller, but still carry tiny pincers.

Why they are indoors, and are they harmful?

Earwigs hide in dark, damp crevices by day and feed at night. They wander in through gaps, on cut flowers, plant pots and washing, or when a dry spell sends them looking for moisture. Late summer and early autumn is when most people see them.

They are not harmful. The pincers are used for defence and mating, and at worst give a pinch that rarely breaks the skin. They do not spread disease. The idea that they burrow into ears is a myth.

Outdoors the RHS describes them as part of the natural balance: they eat aphids on fruit trees, though they can chew petals on dahlias, clematis and chrysanthemums.

How to get rid of them

Treat them as a gap-sealing job, not a spraying job.

• Seal gaps under doors, around window frames and where pipes enter.
• Clear leaf litter, wood piles and dense plants from against the walls.
• Dry out damp patches, and shake out plant pots before bringing them in.
• Vacuum or scoop up the ones inside and put them back in the garden.

If they are damaging garden plants, the RHS suggests an upturned flower pot stuffed with hay on a cane. Check it each morning and relocate the earwigs.

When a professional is worth it

Almost never. Earwigs do not breed indoors in a way that builds up, and one-off sightings do not justify a visit. If you are finding dozens every night, look for the outdoor source close to the house, such as a compost heap, ivy or a leaking gutter, before you pay anyone. A professional can treat entry points, but fixing the source usually works better and costs less.