Earwigs can easily be recognized by their pincers at the end of their abdomen. Their pincers are harmless to humans, and although it is a myth that earwigs do bite, they may pinch with their pincers if they are aggressively handled. Earwigs are dark reddish-brown, with light brown legs, and they are about 5/8″ long. Earwigs will lay their eggs under the soil about 2-3″. Earwigs need moisture to survive. Earwigs are mostly active at night and they eat dead insects and decomposing plant materials. They are also attracted to light. If earwigs appear in the house, it is safe to say that they came from the outdoors through an entry point (i.e. doors, crack and crevice, window sills, drains, utility pipes and windows).
Inspection
During the day, earwigs can be found under organic matter (i.e. mulch, pine straw, leaf litter). They prefer dark and damp areas such as under sidewalks, and stones. They can come into homes through entry points like doors and windows, or they even go up the foundation.
