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beyondtheblue_gw

Plants Earwigs won't eat

Beyondtheblue
10 years ago

Hello. Let me start out by saying what info I am not looking for. I am not looking for suggestions on ways to control/kill earwigs. I have tried traps (oil, tuna,soy sauce). They attract multitudes of feral cats and take too much time to maintain. Pesticides are not an option: too costly for an infestation this large, and again, I don't want to harm the feral cats or my dogs. I cannot get rid of their nesting spots: I live in an apartment complex. There is a huge area of neglected shrubs that have collected years of debris and decaying matter. I am not in a position to do anything about it. I also don't need anyone to tell me that earwigs don't damage plants.

What I am looking for is advice from someone who has had a severe infestation of earwigs and has discovered plants that earwigs won't eat. Today I am going to dig up my remaining Zinnia and Lobelia plants to give away before they are completely destroyed. So far the earwigs haven't touch my moss rose, so I will be keeping those, as well as one tomato plant that seems to be thriving and one tomato that is virtually shredded, but they don't seem to be interested in any more. It's too late for my basil.. That was the first thing they ate.

I was so excited this year when the lady who owns this plot of ground said I could plant a garden there. I've put too much time and money into making the ground suitable for a garden to just give up altogether. So please, I need suggestions on plants (flowers or veggies) to use from people who know what I'm going through with the earwigs. I'm just so discouraged right now....

Comments (9)

  • Kimmsr
    10 years ago

    There are very few plants earwigs will not eat if there is no other food source available. Maybe Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac. But they also eat other insects and so could be beneficials.
    Garlic sprays are known to cause Earwigs to vacate an area.

    Here is a link that might be useful: About Earwigs

  • Jeanne Miller
    5 years ago
    Dish soap works. spray on plant and watch them vacant. unfortunately it does kill the earwings. I am going to spray my whole yard with a dish soap solution.
  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    5 years ago

    dish soap is a detergent .... a horticultural soap would be better ...


    i THINK i read recently.. that its hard to find a kitchen soap.. that is just a soap ...


    imo.. do not spray anything in extreme heat .. or direct sun ... the leaves will already be stressed.. no sense in gooping them up on top of that ...


    ken

  • Jimmi Sue
    5 years ago

    I have an infestation of earwigs this year. I don't even have an "official" garden, but I have a lawn, some shrubs and flowers along the fence, some potted flowers on my deck, and a swimming pool. The earwigs are always in the pool or on the edges, they are always on my deck in my potted flowers, and they are always in the shrubs along the fence. I have them so bad, upon picking up one of the potted flowers, they came flowing out like a waterfall. It was disgusting. They're also in my house. In every room of my house. I've tried putting oil in cat food cans and did trap some, but there is always thousands more. I tried the soap water solution but it killed my flowers and the earwigs remained. It was literally a horror show in my backyard every night, and was not enjoyable to even sit out there. I stopped at a nursery one day and happened to mention to guy who was helping me about the earwig problem, He asked if I had tried Sluggo Plus. I said I hadn't, but didn't want to use anything harmful to plants, flowers, animals, and especially humans. He informed it was completely safe for all of the above, but kills earwigs, slugs, snails, etc. He showed me the bottle and it has iron phosphate in it which slugs can't digest but is great for plants, and spinosad which is derived from naturally occurring soil dwelling bacteria which is like a neurotoxin to earwigs. It's the only thing that's worked. Outside anyway. Indoors is a different story. I've purchased some diotinateous earth to sprinkle around doors and windows and we'll see if it works. I'll let you know.

  • Jimmi Sue
    5 years ago

    By the way, I have three cats and a dog, and it's not harmed any of them.

  • Daniel Hood
    3 years ago

    I have been battling earwigs for years and so far what I learned is that they have eaten almost everything except tomato plants, geraniums, cactus, spikes, and thyme. I have not found anything more they do not eat unfortunately. They eat almost everything, even some of my perennial succulents. It seems that the only flower they don't eat are geraniums. Let me know if anyone else has other plants they know earwigs don't eat.

  • Al G
    2 years ago

    Here is what I have found that earwigs aren't eating in terms of annuals: wax begonias and new guinea impatiens. They appear to like calibrachoa and edging lobelia less than petunias, dahlias, and marigolds. They aren't attacking the more mature dahlias with thicker leaves and stems as much as they went after the seedlings. There are more perennials they appear to avoid where I am and these include: german bearded iris, ferns, astilbe, lavender, peonies, geraniums, and daylilies. Bulbs they did not eat: daffodils, chinodoxa, and asiatic lilies. Shrubs they have not eaten: hydrangeas, euonymus, and azaleas. Earwigs love my coleus and basil in pots but diacetemaceous earth appears to help (the only annoying thing is that you have to reapply every time it gets washed off by rain or watering).

  • Jill Dear
    2 years ago

    Three years ago I was horribly infested with earwigs, both inside my house and in my yard.

    I started using Diatomaceous Earth the first year after learning I couldn't handle the rolled-up newspaper trick. The white powder residue was not deck friendly (white streaks were difficult to remove) and I had to reapply it daily.

    At that time the creeps weren't eating my plants.

    I put my potted plants on stands instead of saucers and started using a vinegar, water, Dawn solution. I sprayed it into the cracks of my deck where I had seen the @&*!! scurry to and from. I also sprayed it around rocks where I had seen them. I used the same solution in my house.

    It worked well in the house. Haven't spotted any inside since that first year.

    Outside, however, the solution didn't seem to deter them. The Diatomaceous Earth did seem to work at keeping them off my deck better than the vinegar mixture.


    Now, year three: the bastards demolished my strawberries! They moved in to the potted plant and invited their relatives. I sacrificed my berries by using straight vinegar as an eviction notice.

    I noticed several of my potted plants had a strange, web-like covering on the top of the soil, same as my strawberries had. Dug around, Holy Earwigs!

    I'll toss the lot and begin anew. The bugs have burrowed deep and ruined my Sunflowers, Nasturtium, Bachelor Buttons, Basil, and chives.

    They are leaving my tomatoes alone also, as others have stated.

    So far my mints are untouched (apple, orange, peppermint). They chewed up my Marjoram but haven't even looked at my Oregano. Maybe they are too lazy to travel; across my small yard my corn is cobbing nicely.

    The only Marigold they've attacked thus far was planted in the pot with the Marjoram.

    A couple days ago they found my Sweet Peas. I surrounded the vines with rocks and poured vinegar, on the rocks. The sweet peas are doing well, the earwigs not so much.


    I think the earwigs moved to my potted plants because I cleared out all the dead leaves, weeds and other hidey-holes that had accumulated before I settled in.

    Last year my strawberries thrived. A friend told me to put chalk on the outside of its container near the top. I don't know if that worked, but this year I didn't use any.


    Anyway, that's my long story. I wish everyone the best of luck. And should you rid yourself of those little bastards and miss having them about I am willing to share!