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Earwigs: how to identify them and what to do
You may have found a skinny brown bug with little pincers on its rear end in the bathroom, garage, or near a door. That’s often an earwig. This page will help you tell it apart from other pests, judge the risk, then decide what to do next.
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- Pincers at the rear
- Night activity near plants
- Hiding under mulch or pots
- Chewed seedling leaves
- Irregular holes in flowers
- Indoor sightings after weather shifts
Earwigs are narrow brown to reddish brown insects with rear pincers, often about one half to three quarters of an inch long as adults. They look alarming, but they aren’t a health hazard indoors. The most useful next step is to vacuum or sweep up the ones inside, then cut moisture and hiding spots near entry points.
Earwigs like dark, cool, moist places. Outdoors, that can mean mulch, weeds, dense ground cover, boards, flowerpots, vegetable beds, or fruit that already has damage from another pest. In a desert yard, irrigation can make the small wet zones they need.
Finding one or two inside usually means they wandered in from outside. They may enter when outdoor conditions are too dry, too hot, or too cold. They don’t set up well indoors, because there is little for them to eat.
In gardens, earwig damage is usually chewing. Seedlings may lose leaves or stems. Older leaves can show ragged holes or chewed edges, which can look like caterpillar feeding. A flashlight check after dark can show what is active on the plant.
They aren’t always a pest. In turf, native plants, trees, or woody ornamentals, earwigs may cause little concern. In vegetable beds, annual flowers, sweet corn, strawberries, or apricots, they can matter more.
- Brown to reddish brown, narrow body
- About one half to three quarters inch long
- Rear pincers like tiny forceps
- May have short wing covers, rarely seen flying
- Hides in cool, moist shade by day
- More active after dark
Damages property
Earwigs indoors are mostly a nuisance. In gardens they can chew seedlings, flowers, soft fruit, or corn silks, yet they may also feed on aphids and insect eggs. A trapped earwig may pinch, or rarely bite, so don’t pick them up with bare hands.
Earwigs feed at night and hide by day. In the Phoenix area, they’re often noticed around summer heat, monsoon moisture, irrigated beds, or shaded spots that stay damp.
What's different in the Phoenix area
Phoenix yards often create small wet pockets in an otherwise dry climate. Drip lines, shaded patios, dense plantings, potted citrus, block wall edges, and monsoon runoff can all keep earwig hiding spots damp. Homes on slabs may show them first at door thresholds, garages, bathrooms, or laundry rooms near those damp outdoor edges.
Often confused with
What you can do today
Vacuum indoor earwigs
Use a vacuum or broom for earwigs found indoors. Empty the vacuum or dustpan outside into a sealed trash bag.
Dry the edges
Check for leaks, wet soil at the foundation, and clogged gutters. Adjust irrigation so water isn’t pooling by doors, stem walls, or patios.
Remove hiding places
Clear leaf litter, boards, boxes, trash, weeds, and dense ground cover near the house. Move pots and stored items that keep the soil cool and damp.
Seal entry gaps
Look for light under exterior doors. Repair door sweeps, thresholds, screens, weather stripping, and gaps around pipes or wires.
Trap in the garden
Place rolled newspaper, cardboard, bamboo tubes, or short hose pieces on soil near damaged plants before dark. In the morning, empty trapped earwigs into soapy water.
When to call a pest control company
A local pest control company is worth calling when earwigs keep showing up indoors after cleanup, when garden damage continues after daily trapping, or when you can’t find the moisture source or entry points. A technician will look for damp harborage, mulch against the structure, door gaps, utility openings, damaged screens, and conditions that let outdoor earwigs keep moving inside.
Not sure what you're dealing with?
Describe it on the phone. The company on the other end handles these calls every day and will know what to ask.
Common questions about earwigs in Phoenix
Are earwigs dangerous to people?
Earwigs look fierce because of the pincers, but they aren’t considered a health hazard. They generally avoid people, though one may pinch, or rarely bite, if trapped against skin or clothing.
Do earwigs really go in ears?
The common story about earwigs seeking out ears is a myth. They prefer dark, moist hiding places outdoors, such as mulch, weeds, or garden debris.
Why are earwigs in my bathroom or garage?
They may be coming from damp areas outside or slipping through gaps under doors, around thresholds, or near utility openings. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, and garages can stay cooler or damp enough to attract wandering earwigs.
Are earwigs bad for my garden?
They can damage seedlings, flowers, soft fruit, and corn silks. They can also eat aphids and other small insects, so control is usually aimed at reducing damage rather than wiping out every earwig.
Will indoor pesticide stop earwigs from coming in?
Indoor pesticide use is not recommended as a way to prevent entry. Exclusion, moisture reduction, debris cleanup, and outdoor trapping are the safer first steps.
Get the earwigs problem looked at
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