…brain-burrowing terrors from a horror movie! Nonetheless, most people find them pretty creepy looking, and commonly confuse them with two other pests: firebrats and silverfish.

In folklore, earwigs came out at night and crawled into the ears of sleeping people. Once in the ear, people believed the creatures bored into the brain. The fact that earwigs often hid in the powdered wigs of eighteenth century ladies and fops merely bolstered their fearsome reputation. However, despite their sinister appearance and scary reputation, they have no brain sucking or ear invading intentions.

Basic Earwig Anatomy

• Claw-like forceps called cerci protrude from the end of the abdomen (males’ are more curved)
• Approximately ½ to 1¼ inches in length
• A segmented, soft body with a head, thorax, and abdomen
• Dark reddish-brown body color, although some species are brown or black
• Flat, elongated shape
• Six brownish yellow legs
• May have wings or forewings

Earwigs in Arizona

There isn’t just one earwig; there are many! Although there are numerous species of these insects, the most commonly encountered type in Arizona is the Forficula auricularia earwig, or European earwig, which is an introduced species. All earwigs are omnivores and eat plants and other insects. Earwigs sometimes cause problems for certain garden plants, ornamental plants and some types of small trees. In Arizona, they may enter houses to seek out moisture. However, earwigs normally hide in dark, moist areas such as under potted plants or mulch.

Earwig Imposters

People often confuse earwigs, silverfish, and firebrats. Properly dealing and eradicating a pest problem requires knowing the creature you are up against.

You may have silverfish if:

• The bug is ¼ to ½ inch long
• It has three appendages (about the same length of the body) that look like tails attached to the abdomen
• The bug’s body is a uniform silver color
• It has no wings
• It has a soft, oval, and flat body that really quite resembles a fish

You have firebrats if:

• The bug is ¼ to ½ inch long
• It has a body that is thicker at the front and narrower in back
• It lacks wings
• It has three appendages (about the same length of the body) attached to the abdomen that look like tails
• Its body is a mottled grayish-brown color

There are other things that all three creatures have in common, such as antennae and six legs, but discerning the differences in those parts requires a closer inspection than most people are willing to undertake.

If You Cannot (or Will Not) Get Close Enough to Make a Visual Identification

Lack the desire to inspect the fine details of the creature at hand? Sometimes looking at its behavior helps identify them.

• Does it fly? It may be an earwig.
• Does it run in short spurts of movement interspersed with quick stops? It may be a silverfish or firebrat.
• Is it unable to climb smooth vertical surfaces (such as sink or tub walls)? It could be a silverfish or firebrat.
• Can it scurry up a rougher vertical wall? It may be an earwig.
• Is it in a dry area? It could be a silverfish or firebrat, as they prefer dryer conditions
• Does it shelter in dark, moist areas (under stones, boards, sidewalks, or soil) during the day and is active at night, it may be an earwig

Know the Bug By What It Eats

Earwigs do eat other bugs, but they also have a taste for some favorite garden plants, including:

• Beans
• Butterfly bush
• Corn silk
• Dahlias
• Hollyhocks
• Lettuce
• Marigolds
• Potatoes
• Roses
• Squash
• Strawberries
• Zinnias

If you find a bug eating books or other paper materials, it is probably a silverfish or firebrat. They prefer food that is high in protein, sugar, and starch. This means you can often find them eating (read: destroying):

• Book binding
• Cereals
• Fabrics: cotton, linen, and rayon
• Grains
• Wallpaper paste and sizing

Which Ones Are Worse?

Silverfish and firebrats are the bane of book collectors. As previously mentioned, if the damage is to books, fabrics, and other dry, cellulose-based materials, firebrats and silverfish are the likely culprits.

Earwigs pose problems for certain plants, such as soft fruits and certain flowers. However, they also eat harmful garden insects like aphids.

A Word About those Pincers

The pincers, or cerci, are actually sensory organs, and earwigs use them to feel things and to groom themselves. However, they also use them for defense and capturing prey. Some swear they experienced excruciating pain due to an earwig pincer pinch—but even if an earwig bites, the most you would feel is a little pinch and nothing more.

If fearsome-looking bugs featuring a set of nasty-looking pincers are scurrying about your home, chances are they are earwigs. While not dangerous to humans, earwigs wreak havoc on certain plants, although they also eat many “bad” bugs. Nonetheless, most people could do without their presence in their homes and yards. The best method of dealing with them is preventing their entry into your home.

Earwigs Love Moisture

Indoors or out, earwigs gravitate to moist areas. They feed at night and hang out in dark, moist places during the day.

Common Earwig Daytime Hangouts

• Sprinkler system expansion joints
• Drip irrigation system connectors
• Beneath concrete slabs or larger rocks located near irrigated areas
• Underneath loose clods of dirt
• Beneath wood boards
• Under densely grown vines or weeds
• Within damaged fruit (such as peaches or apricots)
• The underside of rotted wood

Omnivorous Earwigs

Earwigs are omnivores, and their preferred foods include:

• Aphids
• Mites
• Insect eggs
• Marigolds
• Petunias
• Dahlias
• Hostas
• Soft fruits

Indoor Earwigs

Earwigs inside the home pose no real danger to humans, despite old tales of their ear canal-crawling, brain-sucking proclivities.

Why Earwigs Come Inside

• Arid weather conditions make it hard to find moist areas outside
• Outdoor temperatures dip too low
• To search for food, although little they find indoors appeals to them

How Earwigs Enter Houses

• For earwigs, it is all about moisture, and so they may follow a moisture trail into the house
• Boxes or household items stored in a damp area and brought inside may transport earwigs
• Since foundation cracks often coincide with moisture, earwigs find their way in through small exterior openings

Eradicating Earwigs, Indoors and Out

Earwigs that enter homes in search of water and food often find the indoor climate hostile.

• Most home interiors are far too dry for moisture-loving earwigs, and, as a result, they dry up and die rather quickly.
• Sweep up or vacuum up any earwigs found indoors, but be sure to kill them or they will just come back in, given the chance.

Keeping earwigs out requires barriers and unappealing conditions (dryness).

Maintain good barriers

• Seal both outdoor cracks as well as indoor ones (baseboards, tiles, and flooring) with caulk
• Keep any moisture harboring items away from the home’s foundation
• Install new or replace worn weatherstripping around doors and windows, as this keeps earwigs out and prevents light from seeping out around door edges (more on that below!)
• Place steel wool around pipe openings beneath sinks

Yard maintenance

• Do not overwater plants and gardens
• Remove plant and leaf litter, woodpiles, rolled-up carpets, tarps, and pool or patio umbrellas and equipment from the home’s perimeter
• Trim landscaping so it does not touch the house
• Keep downspouts and drains in good working order so that they properly remove and disperse water
• Remove ivy growing on the side of the house
• Clean out roof gutters
• Grade gardens and landscaping so that groundwater flows away from structures and does not pool anywhere
• Make sure crawlspaces are ventilated so they do not become damp

Light and the Average Earwig

It seems counterintuitive, but earwigs have a natural curiosity for light. Outdoor lighting may be one culprit in attracting large numbers to your yard. With a nearby window (or even light streaming out from the inside), earwigs may find a way into your home. Consider switching to yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs, and maintain weatherstripping.

Trap Them If You Dare—or Call a Professional

As mentioned, common damp yard items can attract earwigs—but you can use this to your advantage. Provide a place that appeals to them and you may be able to get rid of a lot of them once they discover the bounty. Some people even use specialized traps filled with “attractive” concoctions containing everything from beer to the water in which tuna is packed.

Alternatively, remove the debris and lawn items that attract them. They may just stay away on their own!