Fact Or Fiction: Discussing Los Angeles' Earwigs

While Los Angeles might be well-known for its celebrities, sparkling nightlife, and high-society A-listers, the gorgeous landscapes and beautiful weather can provide a well-earned escape from bustling city life. With beautiful sandy beaches, majestic mountains, lush forests, and desert scenery nearby, Los Angeles is a perfect paradise for those looking to settle down and buy a home. However, one problematic pest that sometimes stumbles into local homes is the earwig. Without pest control in Los Angeles, these creepy-looking bugs might overwhelm homeowners.

What Do Earwigs In Los Angeles Look Like?

Earwigs have a unique appearance that is creepy to most people. While their look is often intimidating and subjects them to nasty rumors and far-fetched tales, it does help make identifying them easy.

Five characteristics that make earwigs distinctive include:

1. Their bodies can appear pale brown with dark markings, reddish-brown, or even black.
2. They have narrow, flat bodies that measure between 1/4 to 1 inch long.
3. They have pincers (forceps) extending from their abdomens (back end).
4. They have six legs and slim antennae that measure about half their body span.
5. They have two pairs of wings; many do not fly, but those that do only fly in short spurts.

Earwigs are insects that prefer not to interact with people; they are more prone to scurry away when people find them, but they can still cause a commotion when people encounter earwigs in homes. Using a pest professional like A Step Above Pest Control can help homeowners remove earwigs and develop a plan to keep them out of their homes.

What Attracts Earwigs To Your Home?

When the weather changes or moisture supplies outside become limited, homes often become an "oasis" for earwigs. Their small, flattened bodies enable them to use any slight crack, crevice, or small opening to wriggle into homes. They typically find their way into kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Since they get drawn to light, well-lit porches and patios also lure them to homes. Earwigs prefer the outdoors and feast on organic matter (vegetables, flowers, fruits, and wet and decaying substances like leaves and mulch); if these food supplies are close to homes, it can lead to an earwig invasion.

Unfinished basements that are moist are also an ideal environment for earwigs. Logs, firewood, untrimmed trees, and shrubs give earwigs perfect hiding spots; when those spots are too close to homes, it can cause earwigs to stumble inside your residence. Another draw for earwigs around yards is gutters and downspouts that drain close to foundations. Excess moisture close to foundations can draw earwigs into homes. Homeowners that experience an earwig infestation in their home often find them quite bothersome. With help from A Step Above Pest Control, homeowners can restore peace to a homeowner's world.

Six Myths About Earwigs

Since earwigs have a frightening "other-worldly" appearance, many myths get spread about these insects. This relatively innocent insect has earned an undeserved bad reputation.

Six myths about earwigs include:

1. They crawl into people's ears at night – there is no scientific proof of this; while any insect could accidentally find its way into an ear, it's extremely rare.
2. They lay eggs in or eat people's brains – earwigs do not lay eggs in brains, nor do they eat them. 
3. They are dangerous – earwigs pose no health dangers to people; they don't transmit diseases. They may leave you with a foul smell (defense mechanism), but the scent won't hurt you.
4. They are poisonous – earwigs have no venom.
5. They are destructive – earwigs do not cause damage to homes, and while they might nibble on organic materials, it's only in huge numbers that they typically cause issues outside. 
6. They bite – earwigs have pincers, and earwig pinches are sometimes painful, but pinches rarely break the skin.

While homeowners might sigh in relief to have earwig bug myths debunked, they're still not welcome inside homes. For pest control solutions that eliminate pests, it's good to have a pest professional nearby like A Step Above Pest Control.

How To Keep Your Home Earwig Free

The best way to get rid of earwigs and keep them far away from your Los Angeles home is with help from A Step Above Pest Control. Since 1996, our family-owned and operated company has been handling pest problems around the Los Angeles area. As our name implies, our company is "a step above" others in providing Integrated Pest Management methodologies that are efficient, effective, and safe. Don't let earwigs creep you out and make life uncomfortable. Call A Step Above Pest Control today for a free quote and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Los Angeles.