Best Management Practices:
Earwigs
Earwigs are reddish brown and about 5/8-inch long with short wings and unsightly pinchers at the end of their bodies. The males have curved pinchers and the females have straight pinchers. During the spring and again in autumn, the female will lay 20 to 50 eggs in an underground chamber. Earwigs will bury themselves up to six feet deep to escape freezing temperatures. They are more active at night and are attracted to lights.
Earwigs are easily killed by a residual insecticide treatment in cracks and crevices, along baseboards, beneath cabinets, along door and windowsills and other hiding places during the day. Indoor treatments should be a supplement to outdoor treatments since earwigs do not usually become established indoors.
Earwigs are most effectively controlled by applying a perimeter barrier treatment of five and ten feet around the home with a professional quality residual pesticide. A concentrate pesticide Demand CS, Demon Max, Suspend SC, Tempo Ultra and Talstar P is effective both indoors and out of doors. These properly mixed concentrates may be safely applied with a Chapin Pro Sprayer XP.
In addition to applying a barrier these products should be applied properly to building foundation, sub floor crawl spaces, flowerbeds, turf or mulch. Apply a pesticide the end of spring and again in the summer to the building foundation, sub-floor crawl spaces, flowerbeds, turf or mulch in late afternoon.
Delta Guard G, Demand G Granular and Talstar Xtra are very effective in the control of control earwigs by applying to the yard as a peremiter control.
Always read the pesticide label and follow directions and safety precautions.
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
