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PEST CONTROL
Earwig Control in Toronto, Oakville & the GTA
Earwig treatment at the foundation, where they live and get in
Earwig control for Toronto, Oakville and GTA homes is mostly outside work. Earwigs live in damp mulch, leaves and debris against the foundation, and they wander indoors in summer, especially in hot, dry spells. We treat along the foundation, point out the gaps at ground level where they get in, and show you which damp cover to clear.
Open 7 days until 9pm. Most calls are returned within 1 hour during business hours. After hours, leave a message and we’ll call back as soon as we can.
Ontario-licensed exterminators, insured
AT A GLANCE
Earwigs at a Glance
European earwig, the common earwig in Ontario
- Size
- 1.5 to 2 cm
- Colour
- Shiny reddish-brown to dark brown
- Body
- Long and flat, long antennae, short wing covers
- How to tell
- Pincers at the tail: curved on males, straighter on females
- Active
- Above ground about five months; may wander in from June or July
- Where found
- Under mulch, stones, boards and damp debris by the foundation
- Bites or stings
- Can pinch if trapped; not directly harmful to people
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Signs You Have Earwigs
If you’ve noticed any of these, call and a licensed technician will tell you what it points to.
Call (905) 739-7888- Brown insects with pincers at the tail end along baseboards, near floor drains or in the laundry
- Earwigs coming in under doors or through ground-level windows on summer nights
- Groups of them under flowerpots, mulch, boards, stones or damp leaves
- Ragged holes in leaves, chewed seedlings, and damaged flowers or soft fruit like strawberries
- More of them indoors during hot, dry spells
IDENTIFICATION
How to Identify Earwigs
Earwigs are long, flat insects, about 1.5 to 2 cm, with a tough, shiny, reddish-brown to dark brown shell and long, thread-like antennae. The giveaway is the pair of pincers at the tail end. On a male they are curved, and on a female they are straighter and smaller. The wings fold under short, hard covers on the back, and the common earwig seldom flies. Young earwigs look like small, pale, wingless adults. Disturb or crush one and it can give off a foul-smelling liquid.
- Male vs female: curved pincers on the male, straighter, smaller pincers on the female.
TYPES
Earwigs in Ontario
European earwig
Forficula auricularia
The 1.5 to 2 cm reddish-brown earwig with the large tail pincers. It came from Europe in the early 1900s and is now the earwig most often found in Canada.
Where found: Gardens, mulch beds, lawn edges and foundations across Ontario. These are the earwigs that come indoors in summer.
Lesser earwig
Labia minor
Much smaller, 4 to 6 mm, dull yellowish-brown with a dark head. Unlike the European earwig, it flies readily and comes to outdoor lights at night.
Where found: Around compost, manure and rubbish heaps; occasional in Ontario.
Uncommon; recorded in Ontario far less often than the European earwig.
About 7 earwig species are recorded in Canada, but the European earwig is the one people find in and around homes. For other bugs that turn up in basements, see house centipede control and silverfish control.
OUR APPROACH
How We Treat Earwigs
Step 1
Treat the Perimeter
Earwigs live outside and come in by wandering, so most of the work is outside. Treatment goes along the foundation and the narrow strip of ground right beside it, to stop them reaching the house. Lawns and garden beds are not treated, and flowers and fruit or vegetable blossoms are kept clear, because insecticide on blossoms can harm bees.
Step 2
Reduce Harbourage
Thick mulch against the foundation, damp leaves, weeds and ivy, boards and stones on soil, and rubbish piles all give earwigs the cool, damp cover they hide in by day. We point out which of these are feeding the problem and what to thin out or move.
Step 3
Seal at Grade
They get in at ground level: under doors, through basement windows and window wells, and through gaps where siding meets the foundation. Ground-level doors and windows should fit snugly and cracks should be sealed, so fewer earwigs make it inside.
Step 4
Spot Treat Indoors if Needed
Where earwigs keep turning up inside, a spot treatment goes along baseboards, around drainpipes and under the edges of carpets and rugs. This deals with the earwigs already inside while the outside work cuts down on new ones.
BITES AND STINGS
Do Earwigs Bite or Pinch?
Earwigs don't go after people, but one can pinch with its tail pincers if you trap it or pick it up. The pincers are mainly for defence, as well as for mating and catching prey. Health Canada says earwigs are not directly harmful to people, and the University of California's pest notes say that even large numbers are a nuisance, not a health hazard. They also don't crawl into ears. The name comes from an old European myth about earwigs crawling into ears at night, and there is nothing to it.
- Pinch: possible if trapped or handled.
- Ears: a myth with no basis.
RISKS AND DAMAGE
What Damage Can Earwigs Cause?
Earwigs cause two kinds of trouble. Outside, they chew plants: tender shoots, leaves and blossoms, seedlings stripped of leaves, ragged holes in older leaves, and soft fruit. Dahlias, zinnias, lettuce, strawberries and raspberries are among the plants hit. For most gardens the damage is minor, and earwigs also eat aphids, insect eggs and slug eggs. Inside, they are a nuisance that gets into laundry, furniture and even bread. Crushed ones smell bad.
- Chewed seedlings, holes in leaves and damaged flowers
- Damage to soft fruit such as strawberries and raspberries
- Earwigs in laundry, furniture and food indoors
- A foul smell from crushed earwigs
Earwigs are a nuisance, not a danger. A few at the back door on a summer night are normal. Earwigs indoors every day, or a garden being chewed up, mean the conditions at the foundation need work.
CAUSES
Why You Have Earwigs in the House
Earwigs need cool, damp shelter, and a house with moisture and cover at the foundation gives them that. By day they hide under mulch, stones, boards, leaves and garden rubbish, and at dusk they come out to feed. In summer they climb walls, fences and trees and wander into homes. Hot, dry spells drive them inside looking for shelter.
What Draws Them In
- Thick mulch beds against the foundation
- Leaves, weeds, ivy and garden rubbish next to the house
- Boards, stones, flowerpots and garden furniture sitting on damp soil
- Vegetable and flower beds and soft fruit nearby
- Hot, dry weather outside
How They Get In
- Gaps under exterior doors
- Basement windows and window wells that don't fit snugly
- Cracks where siding or sills meet the foundation
- Openings around pipes and vents at ground level
HABITS
Life Cycle and Habits
Habitat
Earwigs live outdoors in cool, dark, damp spots: under stones, boards and loose soil, in mulch, leaves and garden rubbish, in dense vines and weeds, and even in the hollow legs of garden furniture. They spend the day hidden and come out to feed at night.
Diet
Most of what they eat is decaying plant matter. They also eat tender shoots, leaves, flowers and soft fruit, and they hunt aphids, insect eggs, insect larvae and slug eggs. That mix is why they are partly a garden pest and partly a helpful predator.
Life Cycle
Adults spend the winter in the soil. From late winter to early spring the female digs a small chamber in the soil, or under a log or stone, and lays about 20 to 50 eggs. She stays with them, cleaning and guarding the eggs and then the young. Young earwigs look like small, pale, wingless adults. There is one generation a year, though some females raise a second brood.
Seasonal Behaviour in Ontario
A study in eastern Canada found earwigs spend only about five months a year above ground, from the spring thaw until after the first fall frost. From June or July they start wandering onto houses, fences and trees and into homes, and heat and drought push more of them inside. Adults go back into the soil for the winter.
PREVENTION
How to Keep Earwigs Out of the House
- Thin the mulch next to the foundation and keep it from piling up against the siding.
- Rake leaves, weeds, ivy and garden rubbish away from the house.
- Move boards, stones, flowerpots and stored items off the soil beside the foundation.
- Make ground-level doors and windows fit snugly, with door sweeps on exterior doors.
- Seal cracks where the siding and sills meet the foundation, and gaps around pipes.
- Set traps near problem spots: rolled corrugated cardboard or newspaper, or a flowerpot stuffed with damp straw and set upside down.
- Bury a shallow can, like a sardine tin, to the rim with a little oil in it. Fish oil attracts earwigs best.
- Check traps often and get rid of the earwigs they catch.
How to Get Rid of Earwigs: DIY or a Professional?
A few earwigs at the door on summer nights are normal, and traps plus clearing damp cover from the foundation are the place to start. If you use an insecticide yourself, look for a PCP number on the label, follow the label, and keep it off flowers and fruit or vegetable blossoms, because it can harm bees. On lawns and in gardens, Ontario's cosmetic pesticide ban limits you to products made only from ingredients on the province's Allowable List, such as soap. Call a professional when earwigs keep showing up inside every day, when they are in several rooms, or when traps and cleanup haven't made a dent after a few weeks.
- DIY: cardboard, newspaper or oil traps, thinner mulch, cleared debris, door sweeps.
- Call us: daily indoor sightings, earwigs in several rooms, or no change after a few weeks.
WHY CHOOSE US
Why Ontario Homeowners Choose Sting Out
No Binding Contracts
Cancel anytime, with no lock-in and no pressure. If you keep us on, it should be because the work is getting results.
Integrated Pest Management
Inspection first, then targeted treatment with registered products used as the label directs. Your technician will advise on any precautions.
Ontario-Licensed Exterminators
Treatments are applied by technicians licensed under Ontario pesticide rules.
5 Star Google Rating
Read what GTA homeowners and businesses say about us on Google Maps.
Reviews
What GTA customers say
★★★★★Google review
Sting Out Pest Control helped me get rid of a pretty bad crawling insect problem in my office. They were friendly, easy to deal with, and explained everything clearly from the start. Instead of just spraying and leaving, they came up with a treatment plan that used different methods to get the problem under control. Over time, the infestation was completely gone. I now have them come by once a month for maintenance, and if anything small comes up, they take care of it right away before it becomes a bigger issue. It's been a great experience, and I have peace of mind knowing my office is protected. I would definitely recommend Sting Out Pest Control to anyone needing a reliable pest control company.
Review 1 of 7
COMMON QUESTIONS
Earwig Control: Questions We Get
Do earwigs really crawl into your ears?
No. The name comes from an old European myth that earwigs crawl into people's ears at night, and it has no basis. Earwigs have no interest in ears. They are after cool, damp hiding places and food.
How do I get rid of earwigs in my house?
The earwigs inside came from outside, so start at the foundation. Clear damp mulch, leaves and debris from against the house, and make ground-level doors and windows fit snugly. Sweep up or trap the ones already inside. Where they keep turning up, a spot treatment along baseboards, drainpipes and under carpet edges deals with the rest.
When is earwig season in Ontario?
Summer. Earwigs spend only about five months of the year above ground in eastern Canada, and they start wandering onto houses and into homes around June or July. Hot, dry spells push more of them indoors. In fall the adults go back into the soil, where they spend the winter.
Can earwigs fly?
The European earwig, the common one in Ontario, has wings folded under short covers but seldom flies. The much smaller lesser earwig, 4 to 6 mm, flies readily and is drawn to outdoor lights at night, but it is recorded in Ontario far less often.
Are earwigs good or bad for the garden?
Both. Earwigs eat aphids, insect eggs and slug eggs, and most of their diet is decaying plant matter. They also chew seedlings, leaves, flowers and soft fruit like strawberries. For most gardens the damage is minor. Traps and less mulch and debris near the plants are the usual first steps.
Sources
Last updated
- Health Canada: Earwigs (pest control tips)
- The Canadian Encyclopedia: Earwig
- University of California IPM: Pest Notes, Earwigs
- Ohio State University Extension: Earwigs
- University of New Hampshire Extension: Earwigs
- Penn State Extension: European earwigs
- The Canadian Entomologist: Epigeal phase of Forficula auricularia in eastern Canada
- iNaturalist: European earwig, Ontario research-grade records
- iNaturalist: Lesser earwig, Ontario research-grade records
- Orthoptera and Allied Insects Recording Scheme: Lesser earwig
- Government of Ontario: Pesticides (home lawns and gardens)
- Ontario Regulation 63/09 (Pesticides Act), ss. 16, 22 and 30
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SERVICE AREAS
Earwig Control Across Toronto, Oakville & the GTA
We treat earwigs in homes and businesses throughout Toronto and Southern Ontario.
We Also Treat
- CentipedesCentipede control that goes after what they eat.
- SilverfishStop silverfish from damaging your home and belongings.
- SpidersSpider control inside and out.
- AntsAnt bait that gets carried back to the colony.
- CockroachesGel baiting and growth regulators for homes and businesses.
- Boxelder BugsTreat the walls before boxelder bugs move in.
See our residential pest control and commercial pest control services, or go back to the Sting Out home page.