Blasted earwigs, how to eradicate them?

For the second year running, my dahlias are overrun with earwigs, slugs are stopped with pellets and the good old traipse at night, but the earwigs??! I just can't seem to get on top of the damage they're doing to my dahlias! Any tips guys and gals to at least reduce their numbers?

I have been picking and squishing but everyone I exterminate, 2 take their place!!

 

As I recall from my previous garden, they tend to like/prefer "behind the ornaments" places (dark? cool? undisturbed?)

So, you need to create a space where they can have that for most of the time. So, I'm thinking (and I'm very tired having only had 2hrs sleep in the past 48) and upturned object, preferable on a pole/post. They will gather there to *rest* during the heat of the day. So, before sunset/movement ... tap them out into a receptacle and do whatever you feel most comfortable doing with them: relocate? squish? liquidise? eat? breed?

 

I've heard a pot stuffed with straw (or the like) upturned on a cane works...

 

That's the one, Freddy

I was half way there with "upturned object ... on a pole/post ... gather there to rest" Just forgot to add the straw

 

Thanks guys and gal !!

 

Hi Aln , my cactus dahlia are just starting to bloom , what are the signs of earwig damage? I have heard of Freddies straw in a cup method, you have to kill them every morning though I presume ?

 

Hi Harry,

Leaves with holes in, as well as the blooms, and buds with chunks out of them! The little bug... Have been taking cover between the petals of the Pom Pom and cactus types!

 

I've used the upturned flower pot containing dry grass, straw or similar on top if a cane for many years. Can't say it get all the bugg... but it does help a lot. In the late evening or early morning tip out the contents of the pot, the earwigs will then try and dash off, if you are quick enough you should be able to squish the majority!

 

Squish em? I'm blummin scared of em!

 

Would goldfish like them as a treat? I know they eat small flies that are daft enough to fall in the pond, and mozzies if they can catch them. I don't really have a problem with earwigs, but I like the upturned pot trap thing as a means of giving the fish a treat if they'd like that.

 

Some of my dahlias have the tips of emerging buds eaten and holes in leaves. Does that sound like earwigs? It looks like slug or snail damage but it's only on Dahlias and there are no usual signs.

So I'm guessing ear wigs, but I was surprised by the volume of damage each night - thought ear wigs would nibble gradually, but last night half a flower was chomped and gone!


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Not to rain on Woo's parade at all but my father used another method with his extensive beds of Dahlias. He put upturned flowerpots on the canes that were supporting the Dahlias or added canes if the dahlias weren't a tall variety. In the up turned flowerpots he put clumps of grass clippings (hmm suppose they could have been a bit damp come to think of it) Each morning he's go round, empty the pots and then the "size 9" was used to despatch the Earwigs. Only snag with this method is you had to be quick as the Earwigs can shift! Maybe try both methods and you can let us know which attracts the most damned Earwigs!