Gardening Interview Question:

Earwigs seem to be eating everything in my garden. Are there any synthetic or natural controls?

Submitted by: Administrator

Earwigs are omnivorous-they eat plants, other insects, and decaying organic matter-but the damage they cause to garden plants is usually negligible. In fact, they are predators and often help control populations of far more destructive plant feeders such as aphids, nematodes, and mites. Night-feeding earwigs are sometimes blamed for injury that other pests have caused, because they like to hide in damaged plant tissues during the day. There's no reason to control earwigs unless you are sure they are responsible for unacceptable plant damage. In that case, you can keep them in check with insecticidal soap, which is available in most garden centers and hardware stores.
Submitted by: Administrator