Earwigs in the Garden – How to Identify and Deal with Them Naturally

Earwigs often get a bad reputation in the garden, but are they really the villains they appear to be? These nocturnal insects can cause damage to flowers and fruit, leaving gardeners frustrated but they also play a surprising role in natural pest control. Let’s explore the signs of earwig activity, how to identify them, and what you can do to keep them in balance.

What Are Earwigs?

Earwigs are slender, brown insects with pincer-like tails. They’re most active at night and hide in dark, damp places during the day, often in flowers, under leaves, or even inside fruit cavities. While their pincers look alarming, they’re harmless to humans.

Symptoms of Earwig Damage

Earwigs aren’t always easy to spot, but their damage is distinctive. Look out for:

• Jagged holes in leaves and petals, often mistaken for slug or snail damage
  
• Flowers with eaten petals, especially dahlias, chrysanthemums, and marigolds
  
• Fruit damage, where earwigs hide in soft cavities
  
• Night activity, as they emerge after dark to feed

Are Earwigs Friends or Foes?

Here’s where things get interesting: earwigs can be both pests and helpers. They do nibble at flowers and fruit, but they also feed on aphids, mites, and other small garden pests. The trick is not to eliminate them entirely, but to manage their numbers so they don’t cause noticeable harm.

Natural Ways to Manage Earwigs

Forget chemicals, these natural solutions will help keep earwig populations under control without upsetting the balance of your garden.

Trap Them Naturally

Fill small pots with straw or rolled-up newspaper and place them upside down on canes near affected plants. Earwigs will crawl in overnight, and you can relocate them to a compost heap in the morning.

Protect Vulnerable Plants

Use cloches or fleece to protect precious blooms and young plants overnight. This stops earwigs feasting on tender petals.

Encourage Beneficial Wildlife

Birds, frogs, and hedgehogs all enjoy an earwig snack. Creating wildlife-friendly spaces helps nature regulate their numbers.

Tidy Up Hiding Spots

Earwigs love clutter. Reducing piles of damp debris or unused pots near flowerbeds makes your garden less inviting.

Earwigs in the garden are a classic case of balance. While they may cause jagged holes in petals and the odd bite out of your fruit, they also help keep other pests under control. By encouraging natural predators and using simple traps, you can manage earwigs without losing the ecological benefits they bring.