As ugly as they are, earwigs don't bite or carry diseases. I wish I knew how to get rid of them,tho. Earwigs and slugs are having a great year!

I have few problems with bugs but earwigs give me the willies, especially when I open my mailbox and they're inside! (Ack!)

They do on occasion, though, bite. (It's a pinching, I've gotten them on the underside of my legs when I sat on a deck chair cushion before, stood up, and there was one of the little buggers.) Quote from this UC Davis article: ...earwigs have been known to cause a mildly painful bite when sat upon or handled... That article also offers control measures.

I usually use a band (perimeter)application around the house foundation. If you're into natural control, this site has great customer service and some good products.

I like the sound of that earwig trap. I was hoping for a sort of roach motel type of contraption.

thanks!

They definately do bite, or pinch. I got bit by one last year, and it did hurt. Also believe it or not I still have the welt from the bite to this day, it has never gone away. They are one of the most gross creatures in my opinion,and I too am swamped by them. Probably spraying for them is more harmful than they are so I won't bother. Just another nusiance.

hello everyone
I normally hang out at the Kitchen Table and FL Gardening forums but have been lurking here for awhile

Earwigs are actually a beneficial bug here is an excerpt on them from the University of Florida website

"Earwigs: Many earwigs are predaceous upon lawn insect pests such as chinch bugs, small mole crickets and sod webworms. This is a large species up to 1 inch long with mandible-like pincers in the abdomen. In laboratory observations they consume up to 50 chinch bugs a day"

I also included the article below so you can see what other bugs are "good bugs"
Karla

Here is a link that might be useful: beneficial bugs

I am with Moonshadow; I hate earwigs with a passion. I try to take spiders, lady bugs, etc. out of the house with a paper and deposit them on the ground, but earwigs get no mercy from me. I bought some traps a few years ago, but they had to be filled with some food for attraction; I never used them because they gave me the willies too.