Earwig bug control?

BOMBAYCAT

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 23, 2019

• #1

Has anyone had any luck controlling these pests? I had them other years, but this year is bad. I have tried Diatomacious Earth (DE), made a spray of molasses mixed with Neem and those methods kept them under control a bit. This morning I walked out and a Earwig Nymph was chewing on a heirloom hot pepper. They hit my MMJ some but are really chewing up my pepper plants.

Right now I am making those little traps where you put soy sauce and a little vegetable oil in the bottom of a small jar. Those bugs love the smell of soy sauce, crawl in, and drown in the oil.

What else can I try? Thanks

 

I'mback

Comfortably numb!

• Jun 23, 2019

• #2

... build an entire spa

 

BOMBAYCAT

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 23, 2019

• #3

An earlier poster says bugs can't process Molasses (sugar) because of their hard exoskeleton body and they can't fart to get rid of the gas when sugar ferments inside them. I have fond visions of the little buggers exploding. LOL

 

Mr. Greengenes

Re-incarnated Senior Member

ICMag Donor

Veteran

• Jun 23, 2019

• #4

I've had good success with the rolled up wet newspaper method. I unfold the papers and wet (just damp) with a spray bottle. Then roll them up not too tight so there's places for them to crawl into. About 1 trap per square yard worked in my garden, but I don't know how many earwigs you may have. You can just pick up the traps in the morning and throw them out, or if you're in a bad mood, stomp 'em good or maybe even blast them with a flamethrower....heh.

 

BOMBAYCAT

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 23, 2019

• #5

Hey thanks. I will do the newspaper trick this afternoon, and see what I get in the morning.

 

troutman

Seed Whore

• Jun 23, 2019

• #6

Maybe get a toad pet.

 

L

Leaflet

Active member

• Jun 24, 2019

• #7

This place is a treasure trove of knowledge (and treatments) when it comes to pests:

https://bugspray.com/articles99/earwig.html

They do have a garden safe spray that contains permethrin...

 

buzzmobile

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 25, 2019

• #8

BOMBAYCAT said:

Right now I am making those little traps where you put soy sauce and a little vegetable oil in the bottom of a small jar. Those bugs love the smell of soy sauce, crawl in, and drown in the oil.

What else can I try? Thanks

Click to expand...

Put a light over the trap. Earwigs are attracted to night lights.

 

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing

• Jun 25, 2019

• #9

This works absolutely.

Get a 4 foot length of garden hose. Lay it in your garden. Once a day, plug both ends with your thumb and dump it in a bucket of soapy water. Put your hose back down. Done.
I have 4 pieces of hoses in my garden. Works well.

 

I'mback

Comfortably numb!

• Jun 25, 2019

• #10

TychoMonolyth said:

This works absolutely.

Get a 4 foot length of garden hose. Lay it in your garden. Once a day, plug both ends with your thumb and dump it in a bucket of soapy water. Put your hose back down. Done.
I have 4 pieces of hoses in my garden. Works well.

Click to expand...

I wish I knew this 20 yrs ago LOL. One year I grew the most beautiful iceberg lettuce, ony to find when I cut it in two, earwigs where between each leaf of lettuce, there were hundreds in there. They thought the lettuce was a brothel! The whole crop was wasted

 

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing

• Jun 25, 2019

• #11

I'mback said:

I wish I knew this 20 yrs ago LOL. One year I grew the most beautiful iceberg lettuce, ony to find when I cut it in two, earwigs where between each leaf of lettuce, there were hundreds in there. They thought the lettuce was a brothel! The whole crop was wasted

Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me but with sweet corn. Every single silk was eaten. No pistils, no kernels.

 

I'mback

Comfortably numb!

• Jun 25, 2019

• #12

Is there any beneficial bugs to eradicate them?

 

BOMBAYCAT

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 25, 2019

• #13

I don't think any bugs, but I read if you attract birds they eat the bugs for a light snack. IDK as earwigs are supposed to be nocturnal. I like the idea of toads, but it is so arid here I haven't seen any around.

 

I'mback

Comfortably numb!

• Jun 25, 2019

• #14

BOMBAYCAT said:

I don't think any bugs, but I read if you attract birds they eat the bugs for a light snack. IDK as earwigs are supposed to be nocturnal. I like the idea of toads, but it is so arid here I haven't seen any around.

Click to expand...

... they strive in the Maritimes and especially in fresh cut wood, or any "new wood"

 

Rico Swazi

Active member

• Jun 28, 2019

• #15

Is there any beneficial bugs to eradicate them?

Click to expand...

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/NE/tachinid_flies.html

one of the best companion plants to attract Tachinidae (and other predators) is Queen Annes Lace.
I was taking pics for another thread and thought I'd share this.

Thats an earwig along a host of other critters. My understanding is the earwigs eat the eggs of the tachinid that are laid on the plant or will be parasitized by the fly as it comes to visit.


I haven't had an outbreak of whitefly, aphid or pretty much any other pest since doubling down on bringing natural predators into the garden. Only one I have trouble with is plant lice or cabbage aphid. Like the boxelder bug, seems no natural predator. Chickens want nothing to do with either of them.

BOMBAYCAT things are better I hope? spiders and snakes will eat on earwigs

 

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing

• Jun 28, 2019

• #16

Make sure you don't confuse the lace then you dig it up with wild parsnip or giant hogweed. Lol

 

Rico Swazi

Active member

• Jun 28, 2019

• #17

love me some parsnips, seed umbels attract the good guys too
then they make sure my cannabis is doing well, maybe lay some eggs, we'll see

on the lower umbrel

near the top hanging upside down

thought I saw garlic spray mentioned but perhaps another thread

 

Last edited: Jul 4, 2019

buzzmobile

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 28, 2019

• #18

Rico Swazi said:

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/NE/tachinid_flies.html

one of the best companion plants to attract Tachinidae (and other predators) is Queen Annes Lace.
I was taking pics for another thread and thought I'd share this.

View Image

Thats an earwig along a host of other critters. My understanding is the earwigs eat the eggs of the tachinid that are laid on the plant or will be parasitized by the fly as it comes to visit.

Click to expand...

I believe the black spiny critter with orange markings is a ladybug larva. They are much better bug eaters than the adult ladybug.

https://bugguide.net/node/view/158694

 

Rico Swazi

Active member

• Jun 29, 2019

• #19

you are correct, here is one of my lady beetle larvae on the same plant shown above
I was referring to the tachinid fly as being the best for earwigs in that post

lacewings do a great job too, adult and larvae

I was just saying in the long run growers should consider companion planting to bring in and keep the good guys in the garden




try the garlic spray for a quick fix
good luck and have a good day everyone

 

Last edited: Jun 29, 2019

buzzmobile

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 29, 2019

• #20

Cool pics of the lacewing, Rico Swazi. I was a little mixed up when I saw the ladybug larva in the shot. Thanks for clearing that up.