Earwigs are in full force during the summer, and it’s easy to understand why you may be wary of spotting one in or near your home. Urban legend has led people to believe these bugs are able to tunnel through your ear canal, but, thankfully, that’s simply not true. Despite their somewhat menacing pincers, earwigs are nearly harmless to humans and certainly do not engage in any ear-crawling! That said, it’s still important to know how to identify earwigs in order to prevent any problems they may cause.

The Dangers of Earwigs

Often confused for silverfish, earwigs are slender, flat insects with protruding pincers that make them seem more threatening than they truly are. While earwigs have been known to pinch humans with these pincers, they typically only use them for defense against other earwigs! In truth, earwigs are not poisonous or venomous—they can, however, pinch when threatened. Although they aren’t directly dangerous to humans, earwigs can still be a nuisance when you are dealing with a number of them in or near your home:

• Earwigs are known to feast on indoor plants and can often be found hiding underneath plant pots.
• Similarly, earwigs can become a serious problem if they infest and feed on your garden and seedlings.
• While their pinch may slightly hurt, there are little to no symptoms involved with an earwig pinch because earwigs are not poisonous or venomous.

Preventing Earwigs On Your Property

These bugs are known to prefer cool, wet, and undisturbed areas, and are relatively fast crawlers. They are also nocturnal, but oftentimes are found on patios and porches on summer nights. Preventing earwigs in your home or yard requires many of the same steps you should take to prevent all types of pests:

1. Always address areas inside or outside your home with excess moisture. Repair leaky pipes, be wary of over-watering your plants, and fix any drainage issues you may be experiencing.
2. Clean up your landscape by mowing your grass, trimming back bushes and trees regularly, and keeping wood piles away from the perimeter of your property.
3. Consider adjusting any outdoor lighting you have on your porch or patio to yellow bulbs, as white light tends to attract insects more often.
4. Inspect the foundation of your home and seal or close off any holes or entry points through which earwigs can easily access the inside of your home.

Professional Earwig Control Services

If you’ve done all you can to prevent earwigs inside or outside of your home and are still dealing with these bugs invading your space, it may be time to call a professional. While earwigs aren’t dangerous to humans and full-blown infestations are rare, they can still be a nuisance and wreak havoc on your plants. The experts at Rentokil can help you eliminate the factors that draw earwigs to your property. Call our team today to learn more!

Contrary to urban myths, earwigs do not burrow into people’s ear canals! Old legends claimed that these little silverfish-looking bugs make their way into ear canals and lay eggs, but that’s simply not true. That said, many people still fear these pesky little insects and worry about their ability to bite. Despite their intimidating looking pincers, earwigs very rarely bite humans. At worst, they will use their forceps (cerci) to pinch when threatened. Thankfully, their pinches are very minor and cause little discomfort!

All About Earwigs

These little insects have flat bodies, are typically a brown or black color, and possess visible pincers or cerci that are occasionally used for defensive purposes. Although they have wings, they very rarely use them to fly. Other facts to know about earwigs include:

• They prefer to stay hidden, and are nocturnal insects. During the day, they hide under rocks and tend to seek out damp or moist areas.
• When they make their way inside your home, they are often found old boxes, stacks of books, in the basement, or even invading your kitchen.
• They aren’t picky and will eat a variety of organic matter: plants, fruits and vegetables, trash, other insects, and even plants.

Do Earwigs Bite?

Just by looking at them, you would think that earwigs are known for biting or pinching people. However, that just isn’t the case. Although earwigs have strong cerci, they almost never use them to pinch or bite humans unless directly threatened or picked up. In the rare case someone is pinched by an earwig, the symptoms will be very mild—occasionally, some irritation will result from the incident but nothing more. The good news is that these bugs actively avoid contact with people and typically scuttle away when exposed.

Preventing Earwigs in Las Vegas

Although earwigs don’t pose a threat to humans, that doesn’t mean you want to come across a nest of them in or near your home! There are a number of things you can do to make your home and yard less desirable for earwigs:

1. Keep your landscape in tip-top shape: Get rid of piles of waste, avoid using decorative stepping stones, use mulch sparingly, and keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from the house.
2. Inspect the perimeter of your home: Look for any obvious entry points and seal them to keep earwigs from slipping into your home.
3. Promptly fix any moisture problems: Repair leaky faucets, sprinklers, and other factors that contribute to a moist environment.

If you’ve implemented all of these prevention tactics and still have a large population of earwigs on or near your property, it’s time to call for professional help. The team at Western Exterminator of Las Vegas knows how to remove earwigs and keep them from returning. Call us today to learn more!

Springtails are minuscule insects that are often mistaken for fleas due to their size and habit of hopping around. As their name suggests, they have a catapult-like body part on their underside known as the furcula, which enables them to jump short distances. Springtails are wingless, have a gray-purple body, and only grow to be about 1/16 of an inch long, making them notoriously difficult to spot. These tiny insects are attracted to moisture, which is why they’re most often seen in Las Vegas during the spring and summer seeking out damp environments.

How Did I Get Springtails?

In their preferred outdoor environment, springtails frequent damp soil, decaying straw, rotting leaves, and other wet environments. Over-watering your lawn or yard is a sure way to fall victim to a springtail infestation. Although they prefer to live outside, springtail bugs have been known to enter homes with moisture problems. Once inside, springtails will most often be found in basements, bathrooms, kitchen areas, attics, damp wall voids, houseplant soil, and anywhere mold or mildew is present.

Are Springtail Bugs Harmful?

There is little to no reason to fear springtails. They do not cause humans or pets any harm, and are not known to sting, bite, or transmit any diseases. Furthermore, they cause very little damage and would only perhaps cause a bit of destruction to plants inside the home. That said, springtails reproduce rapidly and a population can grow to alarmingly large numbers. Their danger lies in the fact that there can be thousands of these tiny creatures happily taking up residence in your home, making it seem like a much worse situation than it truly is.

What Can I Do to Prevent Springtails?

Luckily, preventing and getting rid of springtails is rather simple. It all comes down to eliminating their source of survival: moisture. If they do not have a damp environment to live in, these tiny bugs will die off quickly. Some of the ways you can actively reduce your chance of getting springtails inside your home include:

• Reduce excess moisture in the home by promptly fixing any leaky faucets or pipes.
• Check your basement, attic, or crawl spaces for standing water.
• Don’t over-water any houseplants in your living areas.
• Make sure to use a proper vent or fan in the bathroom to reduce humidity, and consider using a dehumidifier in damp locations.
• Eliminate mold or mildew in or around the home in a timely fashion.

Professional Help for Springtail Removal

If your prevention methods have failed to keep springtail bugs away from your home, it may be best to contact a professional pest control company, such as Rentokil. Our experts can help eliminate springtails and keep them from ever infesting your home again!