Comments on: 9 Ways to Prevent and Get Rid of Earwigs—For Good

By: Donn Clark

Donn Clark — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 00:09:31 +0000

Please add a caution when you recommend neem oil … it is deadly to bees and can disrupt and entire hive.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 01:32:56 +0000

love reading all your well researched information.

By: Emily

Emily — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 02:11:20 +0000

In reply to Marilyn.

I’ve caught opossums with mine (I’m in the Mt. Diablo foothills). It does seem to attract the possums less if I leave out the soy sauce, but since they eat earwigs anyway I’ve had mixed feelings about discouraging them totally.

I love your idea! I have a similar one, but for some reason, I never thought to put the holes in the side, which sounds like a much better idea. I use empty yogurt tubs, but I’ve been putting the holes in the lid. I’m going to try putting them in the side with a rock on top. Hopefully, I can keep the opossums and the traps without a big mess in the yard

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 15:45:19 +0000

I have used old cut up garden hose to trap the ear wigs. I cut about 12″ and place them around the gardens. In the morning the ear wigs go in to get out of the light. I’ll get them before the sun hits the hose and gets to hot for them. They will leave. I take the hose can knock it against my bucket that has dishwash soap in it. They won’t survive in the soapie water. You’ll be surprised how many you get.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 03:02:43 +0000

Earwigs are usually a major problem here (foothills, central CA foothills), and as mentioned, especially if it’s a large population year. We make a trap also, but slightly different. Because we have to water overhead only (long story), we can’t have an open container. So we use small plant-based “cream cheese” type containers, preferably about 2″ deep, with a SOLID lid that snaps on securely.
Around the container, we poke four holes about 3/8″ diameter each–big enough for an earwig to crawl into the container. A slightly heated ice pick works well. The holes are placed about 1/2″ below the lid because we bury part of the container.
For the trap “bait,” we mix 1 part soy sauce; 1.5 to 2 parts water; and just enough salad oil to have a slight film floating on top (1/16” to 1/8″ thick or so works fine). The top of the oil should be about 1/2″ below the holes.
We take it to the garden (carry carefully not to spill, OR wait and put the bait in at the site). We make a slight indention in the soil to bury the container maybe 3/4″ deep or so (make sure the holes are above the soil line). In a few days, after earwigs find it, they’re done—lots of them.
Sometimes, another mammal may raid the garden beds to get the bait (!). Other than our dog, we haven’t figured out who would want that bait.
IF that happens, the container should be found fairly nearby and be reused (dog’s mouth may smell like soy sauce if caught early enough….). We don’t blame him; we just make the bait less accessible.
We then put protection OVER the trap as well (like larger plastic containers that may have held a pound or more of mushrooms) with small openings cut out for earwigs to get to. We weight that down (rocks, ties, whatever). It should work, but once, we had a very determined mammal—not our dog that time! We staked hardware cloth around all of it (earwigs could get through), tied it down, and it worked.
This “trap” may work best if started VERY early in the Spring—before they lay all those eggs.