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grabembythegreenthumb

Arrrgggggghhhh!!!! Earwigs!!!!!

I am so MAD! The earwigs are horrendous here this year! I finally got some zinnias started by direct sowing, they were starting to pop up all over...and last night the little guys first leaves (not true) were almost all munched off!

I have sprayed...used traps - that are actually working, but apparently I need more! I'm so upset...any hope for my little stems?

One of my moon flowers that was just starting to get its first set of true leave was also completely mowed down!

Comments (4)

  • oilpainter
    13 years ago

    Here's your problem solver.

    I have 3 box planters that have a large coral bells in the center and I had planted yellow Marigolds in them. The Earwigs had eaten them down to the nubs--good thing I grew plenty of Marigolds this year. Back to the pests that love to eat our flowers. I used the bait below. I set it out on Monday afternoon in a babyfood jar and when I returned hom at 3 on Tuesday I checked, the jar was full to within 3/4 of an inch from the top. It went in the garbage and this time I set out a specimen bottle with the bait and I caught quite a few in that. I left it for over a week and every day there was a few more. Now I have them all over my beds and they are all catching Earwigs. My neighbor puit them in hers and she's catching them too. Although she didn't have the problem I did and hers took a day or 2 to work. I replanted My Marigolds 2 days ago and so far no more damage. Give it a try ---It works!!

    Bait for Earwigs Earwigs.
    Equal parts of soy sauce, oil and (molasses or corn syrup). The molasses is bait to attract them--the oil doesn't allow them to crawl back out and the salt in the soy sauce finishes them off. My friend used margarine containers but it I prefer small containers because they take less room in the beds (a small yogurt container, larger pill bottle, specimen bottle or anything that is fairly deep--but not too deep) Put the bait in the container covering 1/3 of the bottom with the mixture and bury it up to the brim in the soil. Prop a lid over it so it doesn't get diluted by rain and so it is a nice dark place for them to hide--ha. When you prop the lid, leave a small space for them to crawl into the container. You might have to wait a couple of days for it to work, but as I said mine were full of them the next day. It does work. Your container will be full of them.

  • heirloomjunkie
    13 years ago

    This is so cool! I have a hyacinth bush that seems to have them all over it, although they don't seem to be doing any damage. I will definately give this a try for a preventative measure with my sunflowers as well. I have a hunch they are starting to damage them.

    Kim

  • oilpainter
    13 years ago

    I guess I didn't answer what you asked--mamashakesit. If the earwigs didn't leave any leaves on your seedlings then I don't think there is any hope for them.

    They chewed on my Hollyhocks--grown from this years seed-- too but left some lacy leaves. I just noticed this morning that they are sending out new shoots from the center. So that is good.
    What is not good is that a squirrel has discovered my earwig traps and is pulling them out and eating the contents. I don't know how it is not making him sick. I guess I'll have to use something that has more weight to it. He removed the lid from the one margarine container I had but I guess he couldn't get the container out of the ground.

  • grabembythegreenthumb
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I've been using that concoction for a couple of days now. It is catching quite a few of them. It looks like they left some of the tiniest of tiny little leaves, so hopefully a couple of them will come back.

    Thanks!

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