Earwig

What it looks like

• 1/2-3/4" long, flat dark brown body
• Distinctive pincers (cerci) at the rear
• Six legs, small wings (rarely fly)
• Active at night

Where you'll find it

• Damp basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms
• Outdoors: under mulch, rocks, and flower pot saucers
• Behind exterior trim and inside damp wall voids
• Garden plants — they damage tender seedlings

Behavior & biology

Earwigs are scavengers and minor predators. They eat decaying plant matter, other insects, and tender plant material (flower petals, seedlings). Despite the name they do not crawl into ears — that's pure folklore. They're active at night and seek dark damp shelters during the day. The pincers are used for mating displays and minor defense; an adult can pinch but it doesn't break skin.

Iowa activity calendar

Signs of an infestation

• Dark pincer-tailed bugs in bathrooms, basements, and under sinks
• Damaged seedlings and chewed flower petals in gardens
• Earwigs in flowerpot saucers and under landscape rocks

Health & property risk

Pinches don't break skin. No disease transmission. Garden damage to seedlings can be significant; otherwise nuisance only.

How we treat it

1. 1

   Perimeter spray + harborage reduction

   3-ft perimeter band of residual insecticide plus removing mulch, leaf litter, and pot saucers from against the foundation.

2. 2

   Indoor crack & crevice

   Treatment of baseboards, under sinks, and bathroom plumbing penetrations.

3. 3

   Moisture management

   Dehumidifier in basements, fix leaky fixtures, ventilate bathrooms.

Why DIY usually fails

Reducing outdoor harborage (mulch, debris, wet leaves) makes a measurable difference. Indoor sightings drop when you reduce humidity.

FAQ