Possibly caterpillar damage. So, ook on the underside of the leaves.

Some of it is old damage. If holes are made while the leaf is stilling expanding, the holes enlarge, too.

I think that looks like some kind of caterpillar damage too (as opposed to slug or snail). I don't have much success finding them in the daytime - go out at night with a flashlight and take a look, inspecting your garden after dark can be amazingly helpful in pest identification. Use your oldest pruners, snip them in half if that's what you find.

If your neighbors are close or apt to notice you, warn them so they don't think you are a prowler - mine are used to me.

good idea, I just went outside (it's 1:30am), didn't scare my neighbors and found nothing on the underside of leaves on one plant. as soon as i got to a second plant I found this little guy chilling on the stem.

I quickly did as morz suggested, opened my toolbox, brought the guy inside and took pictures of him as he unfortunately came to terms with a pair of rusty pliers.

I've never seen these things before, it's like a cross between an ear wig, and an ant and skives me the hell out.

Any ideas?

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Here's a closer somewhat more dramatic image

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I feel like an idiot.. is it what I think it is?
This site may have concluded my suspicions
http://anewscafe.com/2008/06/11/whats-eating-you/

Ok well after much reading I made a mix of Fels Naptha soap, wesson veg oil , garlic (1 clove per qt) and the rest hot water.
I sprayed everything with it. I had the same mix preivously that killed aphids really well (without the veg oil and garlic) so I'll see what happens.

Ok that didn't work. they were in full force last night. Now for some hot pepper mix

Earwigs haven't been a problem for me, but people generally use trapping methods for them rather than contact sprays or repellents.

Someone last year was using oil, soy sauce, and I think a bit a corn syrup in a shallow can and having great results on growing from seed forum. There are lots of 'recipes' on the web....

Here is a link that might be useful: Control of earwigs in garden

I tried some diatomaceous earth but used the pool stuff which doesn't work (the food stuff supposedly does). i read that sluggo pls works well for it. I might try that soon since this DE didn't do anything.

Sluggo is for slugs and snails, and very effective for those while we're at it :) - it doesn't help with earwigs.

The bait for earwigs is generally labeled as something like sowbug, earwig, cutworm bait( a combination product) and not the same thing as used for slugs, not an iron phosphate bait. Lily Miller makes one, there are probably others. It's not an environmentally or pet friendly bait as far as I know.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lilly Miller bait example, ask - there are likely others

I would agree with you until I found "Sluggo Plus". It has spinosad in it. There are some mixed reviews about the additive's safety ( I think) but there are some claims online that it's good for all crawlers - especially earwigs.

What exactly is bait? Is it like candy coated poison? Or is it designed to lure them into traps, like wet newspaper?

As far as staying organic.. at this point I say screw it on 1/2 of my garden since the earwigs already killed 2 plants and wrecked 3+ plants :(

You're right, I wasn't familiar with Sluggo Plus and I do see now checking the label online that earwig control is listed.

Baits aren't lures in this sense, the pests are killed by consuming the baits.

Well the Ortho bug geta plus works pretty well. There were 0 earwigs and now I have a few slugs laying dead on the ground. I'm not thrilled that it's got carbaryl but that's probably whats making a difference.

I heard it's a cancer causing pesticide. Thoughts?

I am not sure what is killing your plants but if you want an economical and permanent solution go to ARBICO they specialize in beneficial insects. buy a three pack of praying mantis egg cases. put one in your yard and one for your nieghbors on both sides. each case hatches about 200 manti. they eat every bug you hate and after their life cycles lay their egg cases. so now I have an ongoing population of manti. I grow vegetables, tobacco, bonsai and collect rare tropicals. I live an hour north of death valley we have harsh freezing winters and blazing hot summers manti can handle it so I am sure wherever you are that they will thrive their as well. also consider ladybugs as these beasts also eat everything you hate. however once they have cleaned up your yard they move on to somewhere else to find more food. Good luck hope you give this a try you wont be sorry good luck!!!

Not a bad idea, I might try that next year but it sounds expensive. For all but $10 I solved all of my bug problems for the time being. I have a few aphids here and there but I bust them with a little soap and they're kept in check