How to get rid of earwigs
Earwigs are outdoor pests that wander indoors when their normal habitat gets too dry. Pull mulch and leaf litter back from the foundation, treat the perimeter, and they stop coming in within a week or two.
Tools
- ✓For pulling mulch and debris off the foundation.
Materials
- +Broadcast around the foundation. Kills earwigs hiding in mulch and ground cover.
- +Liquid perimeter spray. Treats the 3-foot foundation band.
- +Place along interior baseboards in basements and bathrooms to catch stragglers.
- +DIY trap — leave outside overnight, dispose in morning. Earwigs gather in damp dark places.
Steps
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1
Clear harborage from the foundation
Pull mulch back 12 inches from the house wall. Remove leaf litter, woodpiles, and old garden debris within 3 feet of the foundation.
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2
Set newspaper traps overnight
Wet several sheets of newspaper, roll loosely, place near foundation or in mulch beds. Check at dawn — earwigs cluster inside. Drop into soapy water.
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3
Broadcast granules around the perimeter
Apply Sevin granules in a 3-foot band around the foundation. Water in lightly per label.
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4
Spray the foundation band
Treat exterior walls up to 18 inches above ground and 12 inches out from the foundation with Ortho Home Defense.
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5
Set sticky traps inside
Place glue boards along baseboards in any room where you've spotted earwigs. They die or stick within days.