Ear Wig Problem

[Sean Kelly]

Hey all!

Got another one for ya.  I posted in the general beekeeping forum back on april 12 about finding ear wigs in my empty hive I had outside several days before I installed my package.  Well now that there's bees in there I'm not worried about them.  They'll do their own house cleaning.

What's "Bugging" me out now is the darn ear wigs have moved in the house!!!  They're EVERYWHERE!!!  I don't know if it's just that time of the year or we're doing something that's attracting them in.  Still pretty new to this area and it's "wigging" us out!  lol

What are some things we can do to make them go away?  They're nasty little things!

Sean

[mick]

Usually they come inside when they are atracted by the lights.

Screw up newspaper into balls, about the size of tennis balls, not too tight. Leave them around the outside of the house, and inside until they are all gone.

They crawl into the newspaper, then you just burn it or stick it in the rubbish bin.

[Scadsobees]

Hi
I too have an earwig problem, and I don't mean that I let my hair grow too long over my ears.

For me the really don't start until about June.

Yes, they are nasty little buggers and everywhere but I've found that they are mostly harmless.  They will eat some garden vegies and flowers, and they leave dirt wherever they congregate.

I usually put down a granular pesticide for a few feet around the base of the house, not that that keeps them from getting in the house.  I tolerate them anywhere else except the garden, then I just dust or spray the plants that they get into.   I really need to try some diatomatious earth this year to see if that helps.

I'll have to try the newspaper trick this year.   I wonder if they would prefer if its damp?

Rick

[Cindi]

Sean, I hear your plight!!!  I cannot stand earwigs.  They bug the crap out of me and they actually can pack a whollop of a pinch.  The only time that the bug me is when I am opening the hive and they are running across the inner cover.  I always squish them and flick them off.  BUT...I have been pinched a good one a couple of times, they more surprise me with this pinch, but it is not pleasant. 

Does anyone know why they are called ear wigs?  I heard somewhere that they are so-called because the are in the shape of part of the ear.  Right, go figure that one eh?  Oh well, good luck with these little brats!!!  I am going to try to roll up a little newspaper too.

My mentor said that they don't cause any harm to the hives, but I would imagine that they are an annoyance to the bees though.  Have a wonderful, great day, good health.  Cindi

[Sean Kelly]

Hey Cindi!

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean about running across the inner cover!  Freaks me out every time.  I'm usually not creeped out by bugs, but those pincers attached to that weird long soft body is just spooky.

Not sure where the name came from for those nasty guys.  I think that adds to the grossness though.  Terrible name!

The problem with wadded up news paper is my daughter will think it's something to play with.  Plus we live in the Pacific Northwest... it rains!  They'll become news-mush in hours.  :-)  Oh well, maybe when the weather gets better.

I went outside the other night to refill my enterance feeder and glanced at the empty package my bees came in, sitting on the porch.  I swear, it was TOTALLY covered with earwigs!!!  I'm wondering if they were either trying to get to the dead bees inside or eating the sugar off screen that I sprayed on it.  I should have taken a pic and posted here.  It was nasty!

Sean Kelly

[Cindi]

Sean, I am also in what is known as the Pacific Northwest, we certainly have our share of rain.  I bet the earwigs would not mind the soggy newspaper one little bit, lol.  Have a wonderful day, good health.  Cindi

[Sean Kelly]

Tried the newspaper ball bit like Mick suggested and it didn't work.  Made a mess of my yard once the wind kicked up a few days later.  But at the same time the ear wig problem has seemed to of died off.  I found some when moving lumber around in my yard, but that's to be expected.  A couple on my porch too.  But nothing like what we had a week ago.

Sean

[Cindi]

Sean, the newspaper must have dried out to blow all over, bummer. Keep it wet next time, I think that it really will work.  I dislike earwigs intensely, I don't know that point their little lives are, other than to feed other insects.  Have a beautiful, wonderful day, best of health wishes to everyone.  Cindi

[DayValleyDahlias]

You can try:

1.  rolled newspaper
2.  lay a plywood on the  ground in te early am lift the plywood and smash 'em
3.  20 inch section of old hose layed on the ground, they'll crawl in ..then you shake 'em out into a pail of   
water that has oil in it...
4.  empty tuna can or catfood can ( unwashed ) with water in it, and some veggie oil,,,wigs are attracted to the smell, crawl incan't get out ( cuz of oil )
5.  empty soda can with holes poked in the side ( with a nail )...pour bait into the can, lay the can on the ground near the area they are in...wigs crawl in, eat bait...die...animals can't get to bait ( I did this once, and still hid the can from my dogs...

[Cindi]

Sharon, sounds like you have a whole bag of natural tricks up your sleeves to rid our lives of little pests that we just plain and simply choose not to have hanging around our little comfortable lives.  Yeah!!!!!  Best of a beautiful day, great health wishes to all.  Today the sun might shine.  Cindi