Earwigs
Lure earwigs away from your plants to prevent them causing damage.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to act | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Earwigs, which can be up to 14mm long, hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. The females lay eggs in late-winter, usually in the soil, which hatch in spring. Although earwigs can damage plants, they also eat small pests and their eggs, including aphids and codling moths, which attack apple and pear trees. You often find earwigs in holes in fruit, but they rarely caused the initial damage.
Symptoms
Earwigs like to nibble soft, young leaves and petals, leaving large ragged holes. Older leaves may be stripped back to a skeleton of veins.
Find it on
Clematis, dahlias, chrysanthemums and other plants
Organic
To catch earwigs, exploit their habit of seeking out dark places to hide in during the day. Fill upturned flowerpots with straw or shredded paper, and place them on top of canes close to vulnerable plants with soft, new growth. Check the pots daily.
Festive subscription offer
Save 51% on the shop price. Subscribe to BBC Gardeners' World Magazine today and get 6 months of free seeds for Spring 2025.
Year Planner 2025 on sale
Starting to plan your gardening year? The Year Planner 2025 is packed with expert advice from the Gardeners’ World team, to ensure you have your best gardening year yet.
Discover our new digital travel brochure
Whether it's a thrilling Arctic cruise or a charming getaway to historic Bath, our NEW travel brochure has exciting options for everyone.
New podcast series
Join Monty and the team for advice on winter gardening, tulips, caring for birds, house plants and more in the new BBC Gardeners' World Magazine podcast series.
