Use oil-bait traps, dry-out tactics, and labeled perimeter insecticides to kill earwigs while removing moisture and sealing their favorite hideouts.
Earwigs show up where there’s shelter and damp, then nibble tender seedlings, petals, and soft fruit. They roam at night, hide by day, and slip inside through door sweeps, vents, and tiny cracks. The fix isn’t one silver bullet. You’ll get fast results by pairing quick kills (traps and targeted sprays) with simple habitat changes that shut the door on fresh waves. This guide lays out the tools that work, where to use them, and how to keep numbers low for good.
Quick Methods And Where They Work
| Method | What You Use | Best Place |
|---|---|---|
| Oil-bait trap | Shallow can with vegetable oil plus a dab of fish oil or bacon grease | Soil surface near chewed plants, beds, and border edges |
| Crevice shelter trap | Rolled newspaper, corrugated cardboard, short hose pieces, or grooved boards | Mulch, shrubs, raised beds; shake into soapy water each morning |
| Vacuum & sweep | Shop-vac, broom, dustpan | Interior baseboards, utility rooms, garages, entry thresholds |
| Dry barrier | Gravel strip or thin mulch (≈2.5–5 cm), clear gutters, extend downspouts | Next to foundations and around beds where moisture collects |
| Sticky band | Tree-safe sticky barrier (e.g., Tanglefoot) on trunk wrap | Fruit trees and shrubs to block climbing |
| Perimeter spray | Residual pyrethroid labeled for earwigs (e.g., permethrin, cyfluthrin) | Exterior foundation band when activity is heavy |
University extensions recommend trapping and moisture control as the base plan, with perimeter insecticides as a supplement outdoors when needed. See the UC IPM earwig page for trap recipes and the UMN guidance on foundation treatments and indoor do’s and don’ts.
What To Use To Kill Earwigs Indoors And Out
Think “catch, dry, block.” Catch adults fast, dry the places they favor, and block new arrivals at the perimeter. Indoors, pesticides aren’t the shortcut many expect; vacuuming and exclusion beat spray fogs every time. Outdoors, traps thin the nightly crowd, and a labeled foundation band can press numbers down when they’re surging.
Trap Earwigs With Oil Baits
Drop 1–2 cm of vegetable oil into a tuna can or similar shallow dish, then add a small dab of fish oil or bacon grease. Set traps at dusk near chewed seedlings, under foliage skirts, and along bed edges. Earwigs tumble in and drown overnight. Check early, dump into soapy water, refresh oil, and reset. This simple pitfall trap is a proven way to knock down hot spots while you fix moisture and shelter issues.
Use Rolled Newspaper And Cardboard Shelters
Earwigs cram into tight, dark crevices after feeding. Give them a cozy roll: corrugated cardboard, a short length of garden hose, or a rubber-banded newspaper. Place these “day hotels” where you see damage. Each morning, shake guests into a bucket with a squirt of dish soap. Replace the shelters once they get soggy or crowded. Trapping daily for a week can reset pressure around tender crops.
Dry The Zone They Love
They thrive in damp mulch, thick groundcovers, and clogged gutters. Thin organic mulch to a light layer, pull it back from stems, and swap a narrow gravel strip next to foundations. Switch to morning irrigation and fix drips at spigots and hoses. Clean gutter troughs and splash blocks so the base of walls actually dries between waterings and rain.
Seal And Light-Proof Entries
Install fresh door sweeps, screen weep holes and vents where allowed, and caulk small gaps at siding joints. White bulbs near doors can lure night fliers and the insects they chase. Switch to yellow “bug” bulbs or kill the switch at dusk to cut the draw.
Low-Toxic Ingredients That Kill Earwigs
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Food-grade DE scratches the waxy coating insects need to hold moisture. Dust a thin band around bed edges, pot feet, and along wall bases where you see traffic. Reapply after rain, overhead watering, or heavy dew since wet DE loses bite. Aim for a light, even coating—thick piles don’t work better and can clump.
Soapy Water
A quick dunk in a bucket with a squirt of dish soap dispatches trapped earwigs on the spot. Keep a dedicated pail by the beds while you make your morning trap rounds.
Sticky Bands On Trunks
On stone fruit and similar hosts, a sticky band on a protective wrap stops climbers from reaching fruiting wood. Refresh as dust and debris build up. Don’t apply adhesive directly on bark; always use a suitable wrap beneath the sticky layer.
When A Perimeter Insecticide Makes Sense
For stubborn outdoor pressure, a residual foundation band can shut down nightly invasions. Products labeled for earwigs often list pyrethroid actives such as permethrin, bifenthrin, or cyfluthrin. Apply the band low and wide along the exterior foundation and adjacent soil, targeting cracks, expansion joints, and mulch borders. Late-day applications line up with evening activity. Indoors, sprays don’t fix the source and aren’t recommended for routine earwig issues; stick to traps, vacuuming, and sealing gaps. The UMN page outlines this exterior-only approach clearly.
How To Apply A Perimeter Band
Clear leaves and debris so the spray reaches the ground and wall interface, then follow the label for mix rate and coverage. Treat where siding meets foundation, under steps, around door thresholds, and along bed edges that touch walls. Post-treatment, let surfaces dry before people and pets re-enter. Re-treat only as the label allows.
Active Ingredients And Where They Fit
| Active Ingredient | Use Notes | Label Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Permethrin / Cyfluthrin / Bifenthrin | Residual barrier on exterior foundations and adjacent soil | Outdoor perimeter; some garden uses when label permits |
| Spinosad | Lower-toxicity option for certain garden settings | Check crop lists and intervals on label |
| Carbaryl or Malathion | Garden uses where listed; spot treat, not blanket | Follow pre-harvest intervals and site limits |
| Diatomaceous Earth | Dry dust band; reapply after wetting | Indoors and outdoors where labeled |
Always match the site and target on the label. If the crop, surface, or pest isn’t listed, pick a different product. For a quick primer on safe selection and use, see the EPA’s “Read the Label First” page.
Step-By-Step Plans That Work
Plan A: Kitchen, Bath, Or Laundry Room
Set a few oil-bait traps along baseboards at night, then vacuum stragglers you see at dawn. Dry mop under sinks and behind appliances. Replace door sweeps and seal gaps at plumbing penetrations. Check screens on vents. Keep pet dishes and sponge caddies dry overnight. With the entry points blocked and humidity down, interior sightings fade fast.
Plan B: Seedlings And Flower Beds
Evening: place two oil traps per square meter near fresh damage. Morning: shake shelter traps into soapy water and refresh oil cups. Thin mulch, lift foliage skirts, and water early only. After two or three days of trapping, spot dust a narrow DE band where traffic is heavy. Expect a clear difference within a week, then taper traps to monitoring only.
Plan C: Around The Foundation
Clean gutters, extend downspouts, and rake mulch back from siding. Swap a narrow gravel strip next to walls. Run traps for three nights to gauge pressure. If counts stay high, apply a labeled residual band along the exterior foundation, focusing on door thresholds, utility lines, and shaded bed edges. Seal small gaps with caulk and replace worn sweeps to lock in the gains.
Common Mistakes That Keep Earwigs Coming
- Piling mulch deep against stems and siding.
- Night watering that keeps soil glossy till morning.
- Leaving lights blazing over doors all evening.
- Spraying indoors while ignoring exterior moisture and shelter.
- Setting traps once and never emptying or moving them.
Pro Tips For Faster Results
Place Traps Where Trails Converge
Look for frass, fresh chew marks, and tight covers: pot rims, edging stones, and the mulch-to-soil seam. Tuck traps flush with the surface so crawling insects stumble in.
Reset Your Microclimate
Trim dense groundcovers near beds, raise pots on feet, and swap to drip lines where possible. A few centimeters of airflow under pots and a dry strip beside walls make a huge difference.
Rotate Tactics As Pressure Drops
Start with daily trapping and sanitation. As counts fall, switch to every other day, then weekly checks. Keep one or two shelter rolls per bed as an early warning for fresh waves each season.
Safety And Good Practices
Wear gloves when handling traps, sticky wraps, or dusts. If you use any pesticide, pick one that lists earwigs and your site, follow the measuring spoon on the label, and keep people and pets away until dry. Store products in original containers and never mix more than you’ll use that day. The EPA label guide explains what each section means so you can use products correctly and legally.
Short Checklist You Can Print
- Set 3–6 oil-bait traps at dusk near damage; empty at dawn.
- Place 4–8 shelter rolls; shake into soapy water each morning.
- Thin mulch, fix leaks, switch to morning irrigation.
- Swap white bulbs at doors for yellow, or keep them off at night.
- Seal gaps, add door sweeps, screen vents where allowed.
- Dust a light DE band where activity stays high; reapply after rain.
- If pressure persists outdoors, apply a labeled foundation band.
Pair fast-acting traps with dry, tidy edges and tight doorways, and earwigs lose their foothold. When numbers spike outdoors, a short run of exterior perimeter spray (where labeled) tips the balance. Keep checking those simple shelter rolls each week; they double as a low-cost monitor so you can act before chewing starts.