THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN HEAR
ABOUT EARWIGS AROUND YOUR AIKEN HOME

Have you heard that earwigs can climb into your ear, tunnel to your brain, and lay their eggs in there? Well, we have something to tell you that will make you feel more comfortable if these insects have been getting into your home. The earwigs in Aiken are not able to tunnel into your brain, and they don't have any reason to want to lay their eggs inside your body. Your body is not a suitable environment for their offspring. So don't worry about waking up with earwig eggs in your ear. As for whether or not an earwig will climb into your ear, we can't say that it won't. In fact, your dark, moist ear canal is attractive to earwigs. These insects like tight, moist spaces. But we have some advice that will keep earwigs from getting into your ears, or into your home at all.

How To Keep Earwigs Out Of Your Ears

Many bugs can climb into your ear while you sleep, especially bugs that are thigmotactic, like the earwig. Thigmotaxis is a behavior that causes organisms to be drawn to contact with solid bodies. An earwig is happiest when it is pressed into a tight space. If it crawls on you while you're sleeping, your ear might look inviting. Our advice to you is to not sleep where earwigs might crawl on you. Your home is a fairly safe place to sleep. If you don't sleep in your basement, or a humid room in your home, you're probably not going to have any issues with earwigs getting on you while you sleep.

Managing Earwigs Inside Your Home

If you have seen earwigs in your home, we have some advice for reducing their population. It breaks down into three categories:

1.  Traps — While sticky traps are not a complete solution for earwig infestations, they can help you to reduce earwigs in key areas where earwigs are being seen. Sticky traps can also give you an idea of how much of an earwig problem you have.
2.  Moisture Control — Earwigs prefer high humidity and dampness. Removing these from your home can reduce the earwig population. Dehumidifiers and fans are great for this. In complicated situations, such as a cellar or unfinished basement, the application of plastic to seal the space may be required.
3.  Exclusion — Sealing entry points in your exterior will prevent more earwigs from getting into your home. There are many ways to do this. Some are home maintenance jobs like replacing screens, door sweeps, weatherstripping, and damaged wood. Some are patch fixes, such as applying caulk, injecting expanding foam, or using a foundation repair kit.

Altering Conditions That Are Conducive To Earwig Activity

Often, earwigs get into a home because they have found ideal conditions near the foundation of the home and have grown a large population. Here is some advice for addressing conditions around your home that can increase earwig activity. Keep in mind that they also work to reduce the populations of many other pests:

• Make sure your gutters are clear and working properly.
• Rake leaves away from your home.
• Move firewood to at least twenty feet from your exterior.
• Remove objects that sit on the ground near your home that create a space underneath that is moist and dark.
• Reduce unnecessary vegetation from your landscaping.
• Trim tree branches that cause heavily shaded areas near your home.
• Consider watering your plants in the morning to allow the sun time to dry the topsoil and vegetation.
• Keep lights off at night, where it is not going to be a security concern.

One More Piece Of Advice

If you want the best control of earwigs and other pests, it pays to have a licensed and experienced pest management professional perform routine inspections and apply appropriate treatments around the exterior of your home. This creates a barrier that repels and eliminates pests before they get inside. If you live in Aiken or the surrounding region, we can help. 

Our year-round pest protection is comprehensive and cost-effective. Find out what a difference it can make by scheduling a free inspection and getting started today.