Some animals get a bad rap. They look scary and dangerous but really are just trying to live their lives and survive like the rest of us. Earwigs are one such a pest. While old wive’s tales abound about them boring into people’s brains, these small insects are really just nuisance pests. They aren’t harmful to people or pets and the problems they pose are more headaches than real risks. While you’ll want to take steps to keep them off your property, cooler heads will prevail for proper earwig prevention for your Tracy home.
What Are Earwigs?
Earwigs are small flight-capable insects, though you'll more often spot them crawling around on their six legs. Their name is probably responsible for a lot of the fables surrounding earwigs, as people think that they are so-called for their tendency to crawl into people’s ears. They don’t do this -- not any more than any other insects might. There isn’t anything worthwhile inside your ears for them to eat. Their name actually comes from their ear-shaped wings, which, when unfolded, can send earwigs off in short bursts, typically from one piece of foliage to the next.
Earwigs generally stick to the outdoors and only come inside when attracted by food or other factors. As such, earwigs are mostly a garden pest, and they will chew through leafy greens, fruits, and decorative flowers.
Earwigs Get A Bad Rap
We’ve all heard the tall-tales about earwigs, how those scary-looking rear pincers are for latching into your brain -- or are all the better for crawling inside of your ear. The truth is that these insects are completely harmless to pets and humans. They don’t bite or carry diseases and they don’t tend to infest areas inside of the home since their nesting grounds and food sources are outside in the soil.
However, earwigs, like all foraging insects, can contaminate food and cause other headaches. Here the things that earwigs actually can harm (not your brain):
- Food sources: Earwigs may crawl inside of packaging or contaminate the dishes and surfaces we prepare food on.
- Produce problems: Earwigs are a formidable foe for many a green thumb, and they will eat up produce, fruits, and decorative plants.
- Other pests: Earwigs are pretty low on the insect food chain, which means their presence in and around your home can attract spiders, hornets, and other more dangerous pests.
Professional Help From Pro Active Pest Control
They may not be nearly as dangerous as myths make them out to be, but earwigs are nonetheless a common and annoying pest to have to deal with. For one, just because they are harmless doesn’t mean people aren’t scared of them -- the last thing you want is to scare off houseguests because these prickly bugs are crawling around your kitchen. For another, even small, nuisance pests like earwigs can be the start of a larger pest infestation. The presence of one pest in the home often leads to or acts as evidence of, even more pests inside your home.
Only through regular professional inspections and treatments can you stay well ahead of any pest problems. At Pro Active Pest Control, we can provide even more tips for preventing nuisance pests like earwigs, and stay on top of the necessary actions that stop more damaging pests from making a shelter out of your property.
Real or no, the dangers of a pest infestation are seldom as straightforward as the untrained public makes them out to be. Trust the professionals at Pro Active Pest Control to give you the right information to keep your home protected. For complete pest control, including earwig prevention, turn to Pro Active Pest Control.