Earwig issue..........

gardenfanatic2003

5 years ago

Do earwigs eat plant roots? Yesterday I watered a relatively newly rooted plant that was outside. I put a saucer under it and the next time I glanced at it there was a nasty looking bug 3/8" long swimming around in the water in the saucer. After some research I determined that it was an earwig. The plant has been looking pretty droopy the past few days, which made me wonder if the earwig had been eating the roots.

Today I watered some more plants that were outside and more earwigs came running out. Then I noticed later on that some plants I just put out yesterday had some earwigs running around on top of the soil.

I put my house plants outside every summer and I've never had this issue before. It's really creeping me out! Not to mention, I frequently sell extra plants that I have so I have more money to buy new plants. 😁 Obviously I don't want to sell a plant that has earwigs in the soil to someone!

These damn earwigs are out of control!

Deanna

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

5 years ago

all my houseplants go outside for summer.. and in early fall ii treat all the pots with a systemic so when i take them in the house a month later. I KNOW ... they are clean ...

i have alot of tolerance for mother nature and her bugs... OUTSIDE .. but when she wants to invade my house... that isnt going to work out .. lol ... spending 5 months in a closed house with my family is bad enough.. i dont need to add bugs on top of that nightmare.. lol ...

get your pots off the ground .. ever notice at nurseries.. they have pots on tables with screens under .. besides water drainage.. this is the other reason ...

ken

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
why does it surprise you that newly rooted newly potted plants are droopy???
gardenfanatic2003 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
party_music50
5 years ago
Does not look like what I call an earwig. No long antenna or pincers and the coloring is off. Not sure what it is though.
gardenfanatic2003 thanked party_music50
Related Professionals
Montgomery Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bloomington Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · North Adams Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Plattsburgh Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Topeka Landscape Contractors · Winston-Salem Landscape Contractors · Columbia Landscape Contractors · Waco Landscape Contractors · Sioux City Landscape Contractors · Newark Landscape Contractors · Wheeling Landscape Contractors · Las Vegas Landscape Contractors · Aurora Interior Designers & Decorators · Buffalo Interior Designers & Decorators · Fairbanks Interior Designers & Decorators
gardenfanatic2003
Original Author
5 years ago
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 it surprises me because the first week that it was out there it wasn't droopy.

@party_music50 it could be a juvenile or a female. From what I read, the females have straight pincers not rounded ones.

Deanna
gardenfanatic2003
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Does anyone know if they eat young plant roots?
gardenfanatic2003
Original Author
5 years ago
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

"i have alot of tolerance for mother nature and her bugs... OUTSIDE .. but when she wants to invade my house... that isnt going to work out .. lol ... spending 5 months in a closed house with my family is bad enough.. i dont need to add bugs on top of that nightmare.. lol ..."

You're a hoot!! 😆😆
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
If it's an earwig, it will feed on any plant part whether living or dead. I'm not convinced it is, nor am I convinced it isn't. There are other members much better than I at pest ID.

Al
gardenfanatic2003 thanked tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
gardenfanatic2003
Original Author
5 years ago
The potting soil has a lot of bark in it because the plants are aroids. Could they be termites? There are lots of disgusting little white larvae too.

Deanna
Patti Chicago Zone 5b/6a
5 years ago
I am having an awful time this year with earwigs. l know what they look like and they are bad! They are eating many of my plants so what can I do to reduce their population?? HELP!