Earwigs Eating Plants

If you’re noticing ragged holes in your seedlings or flowers, you might be dealing with earwigs eating plants. These common garden pests can be a real nuisance, but controlling them is very possible. This guide will help you identify their damage and give you practical, effective ways to manage them.

Earwigs are easy to recognize by their pincer-like appendages at the rear. They are nocturnal, which means they hide during the day and feed at night. While they do eat some soft-bodied pests like aphids, their plant damage often becomes the bigger problem.

Understanding what draws earwigs to your garden is the first step in control. They seek out damp, dark hiding places and are attracted to decaying plant matter. Overwatering, thick mulch, and excess debris create the perfect environment for them to thrive.

Identifying Earwig Damage

It’s important to correctly identify the culprit. Earwig damage looks different from damage caused by slugs or caterpillars.

Chewed Leaves and Petals: They create irregular, ragged holes in leaves, often starting at the edges. They particularly love delicate flowers like marigolds, dahlias, and zinnias.
Seedling Destruction: Young, tender seedlings can be completely devoured overnight, which is one of the most frustrating signs.
Fruit Surface Feeding: They may chew on the surface of soft fruits like strawberries or apricots, leaving shallow pits.
Silvery Trails are NOT Present: Unlike slugs, earwigs do not leave a slimy mucus trail behind.

Proactive Prevention Strategies

Stopping an infestation before it starts is always easier. A clean, dry garden is less inviting to earwigs.

Reduce Hiding Spots and Moisture

Clear away leaf litter, fallen fruit, and weeds regularly.
Avoid overwatering your garden beds. Water in the morning so the soil surface dries by evening.
Use mulch sparingly, and keep it a few inches away from plant stems.
Store firewood, pots, and boards away from garden beds, as these make perfect daytime shelters.

Create Physical Barriers

Protecting specific plants can be very effective.

Wrap the stems of seedlings with a collar made from cardboard or aluminum foil.
Apply a band of sticky substance, like Tanglefoot, around the trunks of trees or raised bed legs to trap them.
Use diatomaceous earth (food-grade) around plants. This fine powder dehydrates insects but must be reapplied after rain.

Direct Control and Trapping Methods

If you already have earwigs eating plants, these hands-on tactics will help reduce their numbers quickly.

Simple Homemade Traps

Trapping is highly effective because it targets them at their most active time. Here’s a few easy traps to make:

The Oil Trap: Sink a small container (like a tuna can) into the soil near affected plants. Fill it halfway with vegetable oil mixed with a bit of soy sauce or fish oil for scent. Earwigs will crawl in and drown.
The Newspaper Roll: Loosely roll up damp newspaper or cardboard tubes. Place them in the garden in the evening. In the morning, shake the trapped earwigs into a bucket of soapy water.
The Low-Sided Dish Trap: Place a shallow dish baited with a little olive oil and bacon grease at soil level. Check and empty it daily.

Nighttime Patrols

Since they are nocturnal, go out after dark with a flashlight. You can often catch them in the act on your plants. Knock them into a bucket of soapy water. This is a immediate way to remove them.

Using Natural Predators and Products

Encouraging a balanced ecosystem in your garden provides long-term control.

Birds are excellent earwig predators. Install birdhouses and a birdbath to attract them.
If you have a severe infestation, consider using an organic insecticidal soap spray. It works on contact but needs to be applied directly to the pest, usualy during their evening feeding.
Nematodes (microscopic worms) applied to the soil can attack earwig nymphs. This is a biological control option.

What Not to Do: Common Mistakes

Some well-meaning actions can actualy make the problem worse or harm your garden.

Don’t Overuse Broad-Spectrum Pesticides: These kill beneficial insects like ground beetles that prey on earwigs, disrupting the natural balance.
Don’t Water in the Evening: This keeps the soil surface damp all night, creating ideal conditions for earwigs to roam.
Avoid Leaving Traps Unchecked: Full traps can become a food source for other pests. Empty and refresh them regularly.

Seasonal Considerations for Control

Your strategy should change slightly with the seasons, as earwig behavior does to.

Spring: Focus on protecting seedlings. Set up traps early and clear winter debris. This is when populations start to grow.

Summer: Monitor damage on flowers and fruits. Trapping is most effective during warm, dry periods. Be vigilant with your nighttime checks.

Fall: Clean up thoroughly. Removing hiding places now reduces the number of adults that will seek shelter to overwinter in your garden.

When to Accept a Few Earwigs

Complete eradication is neither necessary nor desirable. Remember, earwigs are also beneficial decomposers and predators. A few earwigs in the garden help break down organic matter and control aphid populations. The goal is management, not total elimination, to keep their plant-eating in check.

FAQ: Earwigs in the Garden

Are earwigs harmful to humans?

No, they are not. Their pincers are used for defense and can give a slight pinch if handled, but they are not venomous and do not spread disease. The old myth about them crawling into ears is just that—a myth.

Do earwigs eat vegetable plants?

Yes, they can. They often feed on the leaves of lettuce, chard, and celery, and can damage seedlings of almost any vegetable. They also may nibble on corn silks and the surface of fruits like berries.

What’s the difference between earwig and slug damage?

Slugs leave a distinctive silvery slime trail on leaves and soil. Earwig damage is similar but without the trail. Also, slugs often create larger, more rounded holes, while earwig damage can appear more shredded.

Can earwigs infest my house?

They occasionally wander indoors seeking moisture, but they do not infest homes like ants or termites. They cannot reproduce indoors and usually die quickly due to lack of food and moisture. Sealing cracks and reducing outdoor lighting near doors can help keep them outside.

What plants do earwigs hate?

While no plant is completely immune, they tend to avoid strong-smelling herbs like rosemary, lavender, and thyme. Planting these around more vulnerable plants may offer some degree of protection as a companion planting strategy.

Managing earwigs eating plants is about consistent garden hygiene and smart trapping. By removing their preferred hiding spots, setting simple traps, and encouraging natural predators, you can protect your plants effectively. Start with the preventative steps, monitor your garden regularly, and you’ll find a balance that keeps both your plants and the garden ecosystem healthy.