How To Get Rid Of Earwigs On Your Austin Property

There are many pests that people know about mainly through tall tales or urban legends that have been passed around. For example, many have heard that cockroaches are nearly indestructible and can survive the apocalypse. But, there is one other pest that is often thought about with fear because of a big misconception. This pest is the earwig. Many people assume earwigs will climb into their ears while they sleep, but this isn’t the case. This guide is here with the truth about earwigs in Austin and how to prevent them.

What Earwigs Look Like

Earwigs look rather unsightly and even creepy. They have long, oval-shaped bodies and are a reddish-brown or black color. They have a pair of antennae, and they also have a noticeable pair of pincers coming from the end of their bodies.

Because of their appearance, many people fear them, but thankfully, earwigs prefer to live outdoors. They will usually stay out of sight in humid areas like under rocks, leaves, and woodpiles. However, they will occasionally come indoors to look for shelter or while hunting smaller insects.

Are Earwigs Going To Hurt You?

Despite the myths surrounding them, earwigs are considered nuisance pests, not dangerous ones. They are more strange to look at than harmful. 

While even their name suggests that they seek out human ears to nest in, this just isn’t the case. Like most small insects, earwigs have no interest crawling into our ears. It is not a great place for them to be, and they don’t lay their eggs in people’s brains.

Earwigs do have pinchers, but they are used for climbing and holding food. They might pinch us in defense if we get too close, but they are not strong enough to hurt very much. Their pinching is unlikely to break through the skin, and overall they prefer to stay out of our way. 

Earwig Prevention For Your Austin Property

Despite the fact that earwigs aren’t particularly worrisome, most people still hate them. They are bugs, and finding bugs around your home or business is not ideal. Plus, there is just something too weird about their appearance.

It’s a good idea to take steps to prevent earwigs if you hate seeing them around, and there are some tips you can follow:

• Store firewood and other wood piles at least 30 feet away from the exterior of your building.

• To reduce moisture around the yard, clear rain gutters and remove standing water.

• Reduce moisture inside the building by fixing leaky faucets and using dehumidifiers.

• Clean up leaf piles, grass clippings, and other organic debris from the yard.

• Get insulation or caulk to seal up cracks in the walls and foundation to help keep earwigs from getting inside.

• Look around your property and check that door sweeps and weather stripping have been installed. If not, add these around doors and windows. 

Get Help With Total Earwig Control

Tired of seeing these creepy crawlers around your Austin property? We don’t blame you. Instead of being grossed out, let the pest professionals at EnviroGuard help. We offer pest control services that will address earwigs as well as other small insects that commonly live in and around properties in the area.

Get started with our reliable earwig control options by giving us a call today.