Earwigs are nocturnal insects that hide in cool, damp places during the day. In small numbers they often feed on decaying material and other insects, but larger populations can chew seedlings, flowers, vegetables, and soft fruit.
Control is usually easiest when you reduce their hiding places, avoid excess moisture, and trap them near damaged plants before reaching for insecticides.
Confirm Earwigs Are Causing the Damage
Look for irregular holes and chewed edges on tender leaves and flowers, then inspect the area after dark when earwigs are active. The University of Minnesota Extension guide to earwigs recommends checking damp hiding places and using traps when populations are damaging plants.
Reduce Damp Hiding Places
Move boards, stacked pots, dense debris, and unnecessary ground cover away from vulnerable plants. Keep mulch from becoming excessively thick or constantly wet next to seedlings. Watering in the morning can allow the soil surface and foliage to dry before earwigs become active at night.
Trap Earwigs Overnight
Rolled damp newspaper or corrugated cardboard placed near damaged plants can attract earwigs looking for daytime shelter. Check the traps each morning and empty them away from the garden. Shallow containers with a small amount of vegetable or fish oil can also capture active earwigs.
Protect Seedlings and Tender Plants
Young plants are often the most vulnerable. Keep the immediate area clean and inspect trays, pots, and mulch frequently. If you are growing vegetables in movable containers, our guide to container vegetable gardening can help you arrange pots so they are easier to inspect and manage.
Encourage a Balanced Garden
Earwigs are part of the garden food web and are eaten by birds, toads, and other predators. A diverse landscape can support those natural controls. Our pollinator-friendly garden guide explains how to create habitat while still managing problem insects carefully.
Use Insecticides Only When Needed
If trapping and moisture management do not reduce serious damage, choose a product specifically labeled for earwigs and the site where you intend to use it. Follow the label exactly and avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum treatments that can also affect beneficial insects.
Manage Other Garden Pests the Same Way
Accurate identification and targeted control are better than treating every insect the same way. Our guide to managing ants in the garden uses the same integrated approach: determine whether damage is actually occurring, remove favorable conditions, and treat only when necessary.
Focus on Damage, Not Complete Elimination
You do not need to eliminate every earwig. Reduce the population around vulnerable plants, keep damp shelter under control, and monitor new growth. In many gardens, those steps are enough to keep earwig feeding below damaging levels.