Earwigs

Earwigs are elongated, flattened insects about 5/8 to 1 inch long with reddish-brown to dark brown bodies. Their most distinctive feature is a pair of curved, pincer-like appendages (cerci) at the rear of the abdomen — males have curved pincers while females have straighter ones. They have short, stubby wings but rarely fly. Their antennae are thread-like with 10-14 segments. Despite their alarming appearance, earwigs are largely harmless to humans.

Earwigs are nocturnal and hide in damp, dark locations during the day. You may find them under flowerpots, mulch, landscape timbers, stones, and in damp basements or laundry rooms. They are attracted to lights at night and often congregate around porch lights and illuminated doorways. Finding multiple earwigs indoors, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens, suggests they are entering through gaps around doors, windows, or the foundation.

MBPC utilizes granular insecticide baits around the foundation perimeter and in mulch beds, targeting earwig harborage areas. Residual liquid treatments are applied to foundation walls, door thresholds, and window frames to create a protective barrier. Interior crack-and-crevice treatments address entry points in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements. Long-term management focuses on reducing exterior moisture and eliminating harborage sites around your Myrtle Beach, SC home.

To deter earwigs around your Myrtle Beach home, create a dry perimeter around your foundation by pulling mulch back at least 6 inches and minimizing ground cover plantings near the house. This is especially important in Grand Strand neighborhoods with lush landscaping. Switch exterior lights to yellow or sodium vapor bulbs, which are less attractive to insects. Seal gaps around doors, windows, and utility penetrations with weatherstripping and caulk. Fix leaky outdoor faucets and ensure proper drainage away from the foundation. Adjust irrigation schedules to water early in the morning, allowing beds to dry during the day and reducing the moist nighttime conditions that earwigs prefer in our SC coastal environment.

Earwigs thrive in the damp, dark environments common in the Grand Strand. Outdoors, they seek shelter under mulch, rocks, landscape timbers, leaf litter, and ground cover plantings. They're often found in gardens, feeding on decaying plant matter, soft-bodied insects, and sometimes living plant tissues. Indoors, they gravitate towards bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and kitchens. Myrtle Beach's subtropical coastal climate, with its high humidity, sandy soils, and proximity to salt marshes and tidal creeks, provides ideal conditions for earwig populations. Properties with irrigated lawns, palmetto trees, and heavy mulch beds are particularly susceptible.

Peak activity: Spring-Summer