Earwigs are an easily recognizable insect that can be a significant nuisance when they infest your Houston property. It is vital to employ earwig prevention tactics to keep this pest far from your home.
Understanding Earwigs
While many individuals assume that all earwigs are the same, there are several different types of earwigs common to the Houston area:
- Riparian Earwigs: Also called the striped earwig, this insect has two dark stripes that move down an otherwise brown or tan-colored body.
- Linear Earwigs: This earwig has a darker body with a section of tannish or light brown on top, close to the head.
- Ring-legged Earwigs: True to its name, the ring-legged earwig has a dark brown body and light brown legs, with their legs having a distinct dark brown band on the middle.
- Brown-winged Earwigs: This earwig has a dark brown, sometimes reddish-brown, body and a pair of lighter brown wings higher up its body near the head.
Earwigs are an insect that prefers to live outdoors but may often find their way inside, either solitary or in numbers. Typically, earwigs will enter your home seeking shelter from unfavorable weather outside.
It is also important to note that despite their appearance and their pinchers, there are no extreme risks to humans presented by earwigs. An infestation of this insect can be highly unpleasant and frustrating to deal with, but the earwig is unlikely to pinch humans in a way that can break the skin and has no venom to transfer. They are also not spreaders of diseases like cockroaches or rodents. Earwigs may infest your food storage areas and cause food contamination or waste issues if left to invade your home freely.
Earwig Prevention Tactics
Earwig infestations can be a nightmare to deal with, but proper prevention tactics can protect your Houston property from this insect:
- One of the biggest earwig attractors is moisture – this insect loves gathering around warm, moist areas such as bathtubs, garages, pools, and showers. Ensure there are no leaks inside or outside of your home, and set up proper ventilation throughout your home to prevent any damp areas from attracting earwigs onto your property.
- Seal up all potential entry points around your home, including gaps and cracks in your window and door screens. You may also want to install door sweeps or weather stripping to help keep earwigs from easily entering your home.
- Keep your yard clear of organic debris, especially things such as damp wood or leaves, as these are favorites for earwigs. You may also want to store all wood at least 10 feet away from your home.
- Invest in bird feeders for your yard. While earwigs are attracted to your yard’s foliage and then may enter your house, a bird feeder will bring predators that stop them from trespassing onto your property in the first place and can help control any outdoor earwig population.
Effective Earwig Control
The professionals best do effective earwig control at All-Safe Pest & Termite. The experts will be able to thoroughly inspect your property for the source of your pest issues and apply low-toxicity treatments around your home to prevent earwigs and other pests from setting up shop in your home. Contact us today for in-depth advice and assistance removing earwigs from your Houston property.