Cherry: Earwigs
categories: Cherry Cherry Insects Tree Fruits
revision date: 2024-06-12 08:53
Photo by: M. Bush
Biology
Earwigs are reddish-brown insects about 3/4 inch or less in length. Both males and females have pincers at the rear end. Earwigs are largely beneficial, feeding on many pests such as aphids, mites, and nematodes, as well as on algae, fungi, and decaying plant material. However, earwigs can also damage plants. They sometimes feed on flowers, shoot tips, leaves, or fruit. Damaged shoot tips may fail to develop properly, sometimes stunting growth. Damaged leaves exhibit small to large holes. Fruit damage typically consists of shallow, irregular areas chewed into the surface.
Management Options
Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.
Non-chemical Management
Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!
- Rolled newspapers or flat boards placed beneath trees can serve both as monitoring devices and as traps for earwigs, which prefer narrow, enclosed hiding places.
- Remove tree wraps, which may provide shelter for earwigs.
- Cultivate the soil in early spring to disturb nests and expose eggs to predators.
- Apply Tanglefoot or other sticky material to plastic wrapped tightly on the trunk to prevent the earwigs from crawling up.
Chemical Management
IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.
- Apply around the bases of trees and on trunks as well as under vegetation and on trash if they are present.
Approved Pesticides
Listed below are examples of pesticides that are legal in Washington. Always read and follow all label directions.