It is possible that earwigs will be seen even in the fall around homes in Orillia since the relatively warm October can leave them active longer than you might expect. Earwigs generally remain outside, but temperature changes can make them visible around your house and even inside.
Finding one or two earwigs does not necessarily mean that there is an infestation in your home. Rather, the number of earwigs you see and where you see them gives a better idea of what is going on. An Orillia pest control expert can help identify the source when sightings become frequent.
Why Earwigs Can Still Be Active in October
While earwigs may be synonymous with summertime, their movements do not come to a halt once September passes. In an unusually mild fall season in Ontario, daytime weather can be warm enough for earwigs to be seen moving around in search of safe locations.
It is for this reason that fall earwigs can still come as a surprise to many Orillia residents as early as October. A warm day coupled with a cool night can determine where the pests may appear, since some may make their way to protected areas where the temperature remains constant.
This can mean sightings of these insects indoors even during cool night-time temperatures when you only spot one or two at a time inside your home. You can spot a single earwig in a basement floor, bathroom, laundry room, or any other part of your property.
One or two earwigs inside the house do not necessarily mean that there is an infestation going on. Earwigs are outdoor pests which do not thrive inside houses. It is important to consider frequency rather than presence alone.
If one finds one earwig once and does not see any others for a few days, it does not mean the same thing as seeing several earwigs daily in the same spot.
How to Recognize an Earwig Quickly
It is relatively easy to distinguish earwigs when one knows what to look for. The most distinctive characteristic of earwigs is the presence of the pair of curved pincers, also known as forceps, located at the end of the abdomen.
Most earwigs have elongated and flattened bodies. They tend to be brown to reddish-brown in color and have long antennae. Due to their pincers, some people refer to earwigs as pincher bugs.
Although pincers might appear to be threatening, they are not intended for hunting humans. Earwigs use pincers for many reasons, such as defence, manipulation of food, and interaction with other earwigs. Earwigs might pinch if caught in a trap or handled by hand, but this is nothing like the behaviour of biting and stinging pests.
For quick earwig identification, look for three main features:
- An elongated brown or reddish-brown body
- Long, thin antennae
- A clearly visible pair of pincers at the rear
The rear pincers are the most obvious identifying mark when comparing earwigs to other crawling insects. Beetles, silverfish, and other house insects may share the same colors and sizes, but none will have the same obvious forceps.
Knowing what you are seeing is important before taking any action. If the insect has the characteristic pincers, chances are that it is an earwig and not another pest common during the fall.
Are Earwigs Actually Dangerous?
Earwigs might seem intimidating because of the pincers on the ends of their bodies, but they are typically classified as nuisances and not considered a real threat to people or animals.
Earwigs lack stingers, and there is no indication that they intentionally go after humans to bite them. If an earwig is handled, squished, or pressed against someone’s skin, it might resort to using its pincers for defence. It will not be very painful, however, and nothing like a sting from a bee or a more dangerous pest.
There is also no evidence to support the old wives’ tale about earwigs intentionally crawling into human ears. The story has been around for hundreds of years, but it does not depict typical behaviour from earwigs. When one is found inside, it is probably looking for a place to hide, not a place to interact with people.
A more realistic worry would be the presence of unwanted insects within the house. In the outdoors, earwigs could feed on flowers, seedlings, leaves, and other vegetation. These insects can sometimes cause a nuisance to gardeners if there are many of them.
For homeowners in Orillia, one or two earwigs in the house are a nuisance rather than a hazard. The issue is whether the earwig was seen once or repeatedly.
What Orillia Homeowners Should Do If Earwigs Keep Appearing
The presence of one earwig inside the house can be solved by using a vacuum or by catching it and taking it outside. It is not necessary to treat the whole house just because of one earwig.
Frequent appearances should receive further investigation. Record the number of earwigs seen and if they keep appearing in the same area in the house. This will provide better information compared to seeing only one earwig at a time.
For instance, if one sees one earwig now and another after several days, this could just mean occasional fall activity. Seeing several earwigs daily inside the house means something else.
In addition to this, homeowners should also refrain from using continuous spraying without knowing the reason behind the presence of these insects. The spraying will get rid of the insects that are visible to the eye but it may not give an explanation as to why you keep seeing them.
Earwigs may keep coming in visible numbers and you might want to use professional earwig control services in Orillia. This will involve a pest control technician from Simcoe PestX coming to your home to evaluate the activity and determine what insects they are.