Earwig Exterminator Winnipeg

Earwigs are a relatively common Winnipeg pest. Ranging in length from about 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm or more, they have flat, elongated bodies, are dark brown or reddish brown in colour, and possess threadlike antennae that are approximately half the length of their body. While some species of earwigs have wings, many others do not.

Extending off the rear of an earwig's abdomen is a set of pincers, known as cerci, that gives it a menacing appearance. Though a pinch from an earwig will rarely break the skin and will not spread disease, it can sometimes be quite painful.

In nature, earwigs live in large groups in damp areas such as tree stumps or underneath leaf debris. In your home, they're often found in moist bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry rooms, where they usually come to escape dryness and extreme temperatures. Earwigs are nocturnal and may be seen scurrying away quickly upon being discovered. When threatened or squished, some species produce a foul-smelling odour.

Earwigs feed on leaves, fruit, flowers, mould, and other insects, such as fleas and mites. They can wreak havoc on your houseplants or flower beds and may target seedlings, rendering your garden a disaster.

A female earwig lays about 60 small white or tan eggs in a burrow in the ground in spring. They hatch into nymphs a week later and then shed their skin four more times as they grow and mature into adult earwigs over about a 10-week period. Earwigs live for roughly one year, on average, though females often outlive males.