Before the invention of the internet, we had to rely on campfire stories to spread urban legends. Many of us remember muggy summer nights camping in the backyard doing our very best to scare our friends with tales that may or may not have been handed down from our own parents as the gospel truth. One such story that sticks with me is the myth about the earwig. Back in the day, many folks would tell the tale about earwigs burrowing in campers ears while they slept. Completely untrue - but a fun story to tell none-the-less!
Here, in South Portland, the earwig is just a fact of summertime. They are found all over the area by simply moving a rock in the garden or turning over that mulch pile. They also spend a lot of time hiding among the debris in the yard and along the edge of wooded areas. The earwig likes cool, dark, and damp locations to spend their time.
In mid-summer when temperatures are soaring rain can be scarce, even here in this part of Maine. It is not unheard of for earwigs to find their way inside someone’s basement or crawlspace under their home because it has gotten too dry and hot in their normal environment. If a home has a lot of condensation or even leaking pipes, earwigs might also find a nice spot under the sink in either the kitchen or bathroom. In our area, a lot of older homes may still have their dirt and stone foundation that they were originally built with. It is not uncommon to find earwigs living in these places.
Finding earwigs inside your home can be a nasty shock to anyone. These pests, though unpleasant, are, thankfully, not a danger to us. They do not carry any diseases that they can transmit to humans, and they do not bite. However, a threatened earwig can pinch. Even though they are more of a nuisance pest, most folks really do not want to pick up something in the basement and have earwigs scurry around, or reach for a bottle of glass cleaner from under the sink only to have one crawl across their hand.
If you find that earwigs have gotten a bit too close for comfort, give us a call at Big Blue Bug Solutions. Our expert technicians will inspect your home and work with you to come up with a plan to remove the earwigs from your home. To prevent future infestations from earwigs or other unwanted pests ask your technician about Big Blue Bug Solutions’ year-round pest protection plans. Protecting your home all year can not only save you from a frightening surprise when you find that you have unwanted pests, but it can also save you a lot of money in extermination costs later. Protect your home and your wallet with Big Blue Bug Solutions.