Warning! If you have found this insect in your home, it’s a sign that you need to
- High Humidity: Your home—specifically basements, bathrooms, or kitchens—may have excess moisture or damp areas that attract them.
- Entry Points: They are searching for shelter from extreme weather (too hot, too dry, or too wet) and have found gaps around doors, windows, foundations, or utility pipes to slip through.
- Decomposing Matter: They feed on decaying organic matter, so they are often found near mulch, leaf litter, or debris directly against the exterior of your house.
Steps to Take
If you have found earwigs inside, take these steps to manage the situation:
- Reduce Moisture: Use a dehumidifier in damp areas like basements or crawl spaces. Fix any leaky pipes or faucets to remove their water source.
- Seal Entry Points: Inspect your home’s exterior for cracks in the foundation, gaps in window screens, or damaged weather stripping around doors. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal these gaps.
- Clear the Exterior: Remove mulch, woodpiles, lawn debris, and dense vegetation from immediately around the foundation of your home. This eliminates the “bridge” they use to get close to your walls.
- Manage Indoor Presence: Because they are attracted to light, you may find them near porch lights at night; switching to sodium vapor bulbs (which are less attractive to insects) can help. For those already inside, a simple vacuum is the most effective way to remove them.
While seeing them can be unsettling, they are generally just occasional invaders. By making your home’s perimeter less hospitable and tightening up the building’s seal, you can effectively prevent them from moving indoors.
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