bugs

Getting Rid of Earwigs (Pincher Bugs)

gardening

Earwigs (or as my kids refer to them) Pincher Bugs can be a pain. They can eat plants in the garden. My daughter recently found some in the house and unsuccessfully tried to drown them. They are tricky little buggers. So how does one get rid of these creepy, little pests? Safely…

The answer seems to be with oil. I used canola, however, any type is sure to do the trick. I poured a small amount of canola oil into two containers (disposable food containers…a shallow yogurt container and a plastic container my cookies came in). We have two garden sheds and they both have pincher bugs in them. So I put a container of oil in each of the sheds, just set them down on the floor of the shed near the spot I saw most of the pincher bugs and shut the door.

As pincher bugs are nocturnal (although I still see them during the day, especially if they are disturbed), like dark places or moisture, I let them have at it over night. When I opened shed number one in the morning…Success!! Dead pincher bugs were floating in the oil. On to shed number two…again Success!!

Earwigs (pincher bugs) floating in oil in cookie container

This method of eliminating the pincher bugs was super easy and was very effective. As I like to use household ingredients that are not poisonous to me in and around my home, this was a good solution. Once the outdoor infestation is toned down, I will asume they will not be making their way indoors either. As always, Happy Gardening!

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Unwanted House Guests

life

A few weeks ago we had some unwanted house guests show up. Not one, not two, not ten, but tons of unwanted house guests. When they first decided to visit they were content to stay on the back patio. Then they decided to crawl up the side of the house. However, I had had enough when a few found a way into my house.

Who were these rude guests you may want to know? Well, I am not one hundred percent sure, but I think they were some type of weevil. At least that is what the pest control expert said when I sent them a photo of the tiny pests to be identified.

I do not like to use chemicals or pesticides to rid my home or yard of weeds or insects. Having said that, how would I get rid of these pests? We were being totally invaded and I do not like bugs in the house. Some had found their way in around the sliding door and window. Once inside, I vacuumed them up with my vacuum cleaner. However, I had to keep the vacuum out and use it multiple times throughout the day. The problem obviously had to be addressed from outside the home, but how?

The answer was salt. Yes, common table salt. I sprinkled salt around the perimeter of the house right up against the base and in all the cracks that make up the sections of concrete in the patio and sidewalk. It took a whole container of salt to spread a generous protective layer around the side of the house the bugs were trying to invade. After a few days, my guests had decided to pack up and leave.

This was a great relief to me. I did not have to sink to spreading chemicals on my property and stressing about what harm that would do to my family and environment. Also, I spent less than two dollars for an extremely effective pest control method. This can also be a preventative method of pest control. Perhaps it is time for me to reapply.