What Can I Do to Kill Earwigs & Other Bugs Without Using Chemicals?

Earwigs and other bugs can wreak havoc on greenhouses, household plants and indoor living situations. No one wants to share his home with these pests but getting rid of them is overwhelming. You want them gone but you don't want harmful, toxic chemicals released in your home. The good news is that there are natural methods of killing off earwigs and other bugs that are chemical free and safe.

Food Grade DE

• Buy a bag of food grade diatomaceous earth (DE). DE is an all natural and toxic free. It is composed of prehistoric, one-celled plants named Diatoms, which were very similar to that of algae. Food grade DE has microscopic, sharp edges when released in the air. Most insects are protected by an exoskeleton, but that does not protect it from the DE. The sharp edges penetrate through the exoskeleton of the insect and the insect then becomes dried out and dies. It kills the bugs and insects on contact, so it does need to be reapplied and used. Food grade DE is safe to use often and provides peace of mind for a chemical free pest control.

Home Remedy

• Take note of common earwig areas. Gather old newspapers and lightly dampen them; earwigs like moisture. Place the dampened newspapers around the garden areas, in basements, around the foundation of the home, at the entrance of damp crawl spaces, the garage and around the greenhouse. Leave them alone for at least 24 hours. After the wait period, gather the newspapers in a plastic bag and immediately discard. The earwigs will have congregated in the newspapers.

Sticky Traps

• A cheap, chemical free method of killing off earwigs and bugs is setting out sticky traps. These traps will help you gauge how many earwigs and bugs you have in your home. Set the traps along windows and doors so you can determine where the bugs are entering your home. You can also place the traps underneath sink cabinets, basements, garages and in your greenhouse. The traps will capture the earwigs and can help maintain the problem.

Prevention

• One way to eliminate pests without chemicals is taking serious preventative measures. The best way to keep earwigs and bugs at bay is by eliminating as much moisture as possible from your home. Fix and repair any leaky faucets, run fans in crawl spaces and basements to remove moisture and damp conditions. If possible reduce how often you water your plants, grass and flowers. Use caulking around fine cracks and crevices around your home. Seal all windows and doorways with weather-stripping. This will prevent earwigs from entering in the first place.