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Joan Swenson: Earwigs crawl in — but they don't crawl out
| Tuesday, May 13 2008 5:56 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 14 2008 9:25 AM
Every year when I tear out my sweet peas and the various poppies that reseed themselves in my front flowerbed, I do the earwig dance.
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An earwig
The dance erupts when I’ve suddenly hit a pocket of monstrously large earwigs tucked under a rock or in a moist area beneath old foliage and I leap around, stomping to death as many as I can.
On the recent sweet pea tear-down, I picked up a small, lumpy piece of concrete, left over from some construction job in the yard and which ended up in the flower bed. Inside, in the hollowed-out crannies of the chunk were a couple of dozen earwigs, the kind with enormous pincers on their hind ends. Creeped out, I flung the concrete into the street and the earwigs ran in all directions. A mockingbird arrived and picked up a quick meal.
It occurred to me as I put the piece of concrete back in its usual spot in the flowerbed that I had the solution to my earwig problem — trapping and stomping. (Or trapping and feeding the mockingbirds.)
Indeed, trapping is what the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program recommends for controlling earwigs. The IPM experts recommend using a low-sided can, such as a tuna can or a cat food can, filled with half an inch of fish oil (think oil from a can of oil-packed tuna) and placed in common spots where earwigs are found. The earwigs crawl in and don’t crawl out. No fish oil on hand? Vegetable oil with a smidgen of bacon fat would work well, too. Dump and dispose of the oil and earwigs and replace the old oil.
I suspect various cats and possums in the neighborhood might find my trap a bit too appealing, so I like another suggestion from the UC IPM. Use a rolled up newspaper, a piece of corrugated cardboard, length of bamboo or hose and place it in the area where you find earwigs, presumably a dark, moist spot protected with foliage. Every morning, shake out the accumulated earwigs into a bucket of soapy water. The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and can help kill the earwigs. You may have some smashing to do, still.
Of course, you probably don’t have earwigs if you don’t have the right living conditions for them. Most of us do. Do you water your yard? (Dumb question.)
Have a buildup of hiding places such as moist, decaying materials? Do you have mulch in your flower beds? And do have you goodies for them to eat? Clearing away hiding places for earwigs can reduce the population; protecting lovely edibles like strawberries by getting them up off the ground may reduce earwig damage.
The flip side of trying to get rid of earwigs is that they can be beneficial, as they are an aphid predator.
Once my sweet peas were swept away — I have dry and desolate conditions for a week until I plant my summer flower seeds — the earwigs have had to find new homes.
GREEN THUMB GARDEN CLUB
“Alternative Irrigation and Fertilizers in an Organic Garden” is Richard Beckett's subject at the Bakersfield Green Thumb Garden Club’s 9 a.m. May 17 meeting at Church of the Brethren, Palm and A streets.
Member Margaret Burrowes will share her knowledge on the group’s plant of the month, scented geraniums.
A short meeting will be held with an opportunity drawing of plants and garden-related items, and a Penny Pines sales table of gardening magazines with special magazines on roses donated by local rosarian Sam Trivitt. Following the meeting, members Dan and Jeanie Johnson are opening their garden for a tour.
Address and directions will be given at the meeting.
The public is welcome to attend.