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| How does everyone control earwigs?
I am torn between the following:
vs. (2) Do not want to kill or harm my dog or birds, beneficial insects, bees, etc. I have not found trapping particularly effective. Thanks for the comments. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| 1) I'm with you there 2) I'm with you there too, especially on traps not having worked at all. I have had very good earwig control with Sluggo Plus- nontoxic to pets, birds etc. The worst year for earwigs was when I lined garden pathways with freshly chipped cedar. Smelled great, no weeds, just thousands of places for earwigs to hide right amid the dahlias. BAD idea I won't repeat. Sluggo Plus is worth the cost to me in saved blooms and lessened "creep" factor in the garden :) |
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| Thanks. I'll try the Sluggo Plus. Agreed also regarding the cedar chips as well as any wood-based mulch. |
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| I just heard about a great method that has worked for me so far. I combine soy sauce and vegetable oil in a small shallow tupperware container and place near the plant(s)being attacked by the earwigs. They all climb in there and drown. |
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| Hi chin17, Tried the soy sauce/oil in a can. Caught neighbor dog tongues and flies instead. Not one earwig. But please let us know if you have different results. No one here likes the earwigs much and anything that works against them helps. |
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| After seeing the torn ends of my just blooming dahlia Jenna, I became impatient with Sluggo Plus and started researching other methods. As it turns out, many of the methods recommended by dahlia growers and dahlia societies involve insectcides that can kill your dog! I was so horrified. But I did find this link over at the Hosta forum that discusses some safer methods of control. Does anyone know if there are any other methods biofungicides that we can use to alternate with the Sluggo Plus? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta Forum on Earwig control
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| I recently dug up a long bed of tulips that were planted over two years ago and seemed to be going downhill. I needed the space for some dahlias. Since it was getting late , I left the tulips in three cardboard boxes and planned to clean them up the next morning in case anyone wanted to try and get another year out of them. When I moved the boxes the next day, I had earwigs running all over. I gave them a Raid "cocktail" and killed at least 100-150 of them. I have never,ever seen anything like that number. I'm still putting out damp cardboard boxes and newspapers but have only killed a half dozen in the last week. Is it possible to get rid of them that quickly or did they just wise up. lol Also, some of my dahlias have holes in the leaves.I have sprayed them with insecticidal soap but I'm not experienced enough to know if much damage has been done. We live in a dry area and I haven't seen a slug in years,so I think some earwigs are still lurking. |
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| I use diatom powder for both slugs and earwigs. You can buy it in the garden section or at the pool area as it is also used to filter pool water. The insects crawl on the dry powder and die. |
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| Diatomaceous earth used for pool filters has had an extra processing step. It makes it not as effective for insect control. The "Safer" brand DE that I find at any large home improvement store or gardening center works wonderfully. I have had fantastic results so far this year with Neem oil. The link is to a site that provides information only. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Neem Oil
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| I too have used Sluggo Plus with success against earwigs that were ravaging my mulched bed of buddleia and roses. The only downside are the claims of Spinosad, the active ingredient, being deadly to bees. Spinosad, I hear, is the reason why Sluggo Plus isn't OMRI approved. The bees still come to feed on my buddleia and roses but I'm not sure I would want to risk using it again as I have seen some dead bees around my property. |
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