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Quick answer: Earwigs are dark, elongated insects with distinctive rear pincers that live in damp, sheltered spots and wander indoors when it is hot or dry outside. Despite the myth, they do not crawl into ears or harm people, and the pincers cannot meaningfully hurt you. Control is about reducing moisture and harborage around the home and sealing entry points.
What do earwigs look like?
Earwigs are elongated, flattened, dark reddish-brown insects about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, with a pair of pincer-like forceps at the rear. They are quick, mostly nocturnal, and hide in tight, damp spaces during the day.
Signs of earwigs
The main sign is seeing the insects themselves, often at night or when you move mulch, stones, or objects they were hiding under. Indoors they turn up in basements, bathrooms, and around thresholds.
Setting the record straight
Despite the folklore, earwigs do not crawl into ears or harm people, and they do not spread disease. The pincers can deliver a harmless pinch if the insect is handled but cannot meaningfully hurt you. Outdoors they mostly feed on decaying matter and other small insects.
How to control earwigs
Because earwigs need moisture, control is habitat-based: reduce moisture (fix leaks, dry damp areas, improve drainage and grading), remove harborage by moving mulch, leaves, logs, and debris away from the foundation, and seal entry points around doors, windows, and the foundation with weatherstripping and sealant. Reducing bright outdoor lighting near doors lowers the numbers drawn to the building.
When to call a professional
If earwigs persist despite moisture and harborage reduction, a professional can identify the conditions drawing them in, treat perimeter harborage, and recommend exclusion that keeps them out.
A Brooklyn-based, NYSDEC-registered company (Reg. #15140) led by Jorge Bedoya, an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). For pests in your home or building, NYE provides IPM-based, low-exposure control matched to the exact pest and verified with a follow-up. ACE-led work comes with a client portal of service reports and photos, fully bilingual service, and no long-term contract.
Earwig FAQ
How do I identify an earwig?
Earwigs are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, dark reddish-brown, elongated and flattened, with a pair of pincer-like appendages (forceps) at the rear. They are fast-moving and most active at night.
Do earwigs crawl into your ears or bite?
No. The name comes from an old myth. Earwigs do not enter ears or spread disease. The pincers can give a harmless pinch if handled but cannot break skin meaningfully.
How do you get rid of earwigs?
Reduce moisture and harborage: fix damp areas, move mulch, leaves, and debris away from the foundation, improve drainage, and seal entry points. Reducing outdoor lighting that attracts them helps too.
Where do earwigs hide?
In cool, damp, dark places: under mulch, stones, logs, and debris outdoors, and in basements, bathrooms, and around door thresholds indoors.
Why did earwigs suddenly come inside?
They typically move indoors during hot, dry spells or heavy rain, seeking moisture and shelter, entering through gaps around doors, windows, and the foundation.
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