On Jul 20, 5:52 am, (Pat Kiewicz) wrote:
LSD said:



Hi, I'm new to this group, just subscribed. I live in the Chicago
area. I'm hoping to learn what others are doing to get rid of or
control earwigs on vegetables and flowers. We have 2 dogs so I don't
want to do anything that might hurt them. Someone recently told me to
make a mixture of water and plain dish soap and spray the affected
plants. Unfortunately, they did not know the ratio of water to soap.
Does anyone know the ratio? Also, I wouldn't think this solution would
be a problem for the dogs or anyone eating the vegetables, but it
would be nice to get others opinions.
Thanks for any help

Regarding soap, either use Murphy's soap as Sheldon described,
or buy specificly insecticidal soap and follow the manufacturer's
instructions. (Insecticidal soap has been formulated to have less
potential to damage foliage. Some formulations of soap are sold
as herbicides.)

As for using the soap spray, it only kills them with direct contact.
So, spray the *plants* at night, when the earwigs are feeding.
During the day, spray the places they may be hiding (under bark
mulch, cracks and crevises in wood structures, etc.).

You can also lay out traps for them:

Sink a plastic tub into theground and bait it with a littl soy sauce covered
with a layer of vegetable oil. Cut a hole in the lid and cover it. The
earwigs will crawl in and die. Empty and repeat at intervals. (If you
have lots of skunks and racoons in the yard, they sometime go after the
oil in the traps.)

Lay out pieces of old garden hose (dampen the inside) or roll up slightly
damp newspaper and set them out overnight. In the morning, tap them
out over a bucket of soapy water.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Thanks to all 3 responders. I would not have guessed Murphy's, but
happen to have some so I'll try it this weekend. Question for Pat. If
I do have raccoons or skunks, will they eat the earwigs in the oil,
thus helping me out in the pest elimination?
LSD