How to Keep Earwigs Out of Your Garden Greenhouse

Northern Florida's warm, humid climate is a dream come true for avid gardeners, especially when it comes to growing soft fruits, vegetables, and ornamental flowers. However, Florida gardeners who use greenhouses to maximize their yields may find themselves in a pitched battle with one of Florida's most elusive insect pests — the earwig.

According to folklore, these insects use their distinctive pincers to burrow into the ears of sleeping humans. However, while these humble insects pose no threat to your ears, they can deal serious damage to the crops and flowers in your greenhouse. 

Why Are Earwigs Bad for Your Greenhouse?

Earwigs have a somewhat mixed reputation in the gardening community and can have both beneficial and detrimental effects. If you like to keep a nicely manicured lawn, a few earwigs can actually be a welcome sight. Earwigs are omnivorous, and are particularly adept at hunting and killing chinch bugs and sowbugs, two insects notorious for destroying delicate ornamental grasses.

However, earwigs can cause a lot more trouble if they find their way into your greenhouse. These insects are particularly fond of leafy green vegetables and herbs, and will also devour soft fruits, sweet corn, and a variety of popular greenhouse plants. They are also notorious for eating seeds and seedlings, and an earwig infestation can stop your growing plans before they start.

The situation can get even worse if your greenhouse is located near your home. Earwigs seek out dark, warm spaces to lay their eggs and hide from predators, so any earwigs that enter your greenhouse may find their way into your home's crawlspace or basement. Their pincers, although relatively harmless, can be quite frightening, and some species produce a foul odor when disturbed.

What Are the Signs of Earwig Infestations in Greenhouses?

You may come across a group of hiding earwigs while tending to your plants, but spotting these elusive creatures is usually more difficult. Instead, keep an eye out for fruits and leaves riddled with small circular holes, similar to the damage caused by caterpillars. If you don't see any webbing or pupae that would suggest the presence of caterpillars, earwigs are probably the culprit.

If you're feeling brave, you can also go out to your greenhouse at night with a flashlight. Earwigs are much more active and gregarious after dark, and if earwigs have invaded your greenhouse, you will probably be able to spot them moving around and feeding.

How Can Keep Earwigs Out of Your Greenhouse?

Earwigs are not burrowing insects, and will usually enter a greenhouse through gaps and cracks in the windows and frames. Sealing these entrances is usually an effective way to prevent earwig infestations. You should also remove any dead leaves and detritus scattered around the outside of your greenhouse, as they can provide excellent sheltered for earwig colonies.

If earwigs still manage to enter your greenhouse and wreak havoc, call in a professional pest control service to deal with the problem. Florida-based pest control companies are well acquainted with these pests, and will inspect your greenhouse for any points of entry or hiding spots where earwigs may accumulate and thrive.

If your greenhouse is suffering from a serious infestation, your chosen pest control service can use insecticidal sprays to eradicate them quickly. Sprays that remain effective for several days or weeks are the most effective. Pest control services can also lay down baited traps, which can also be used to safely capture and kill any earwigs that make it inside your home.

Follow these straightforward steps, and your greenhouse's earwig problem will rapidly become a thing of the past. If you have any more questions about earwig control, or how to keep other common pests away from your prized crops, contact the pest control experts at Gainesville Pest Control LLC .