Here are some plants that repel Earwigs.
Earwigs are the only member of the insect order of Dermaptera. Their name originated from the old English ear-wicga, meaning ‘ear wiggler’ because, at a time, people thought the insect loves to reside in humans’ ears.
The Germans call the insect, ‘earworms’ while the French men call it ‘earpieces.’ Whatever it is called, this pest has over 2,000 species all over the world, but it favors warm and humid climatic conditions more.
6 Earwig-Repellent Plants
These tiny little pests can be found anywhere as long as it is a warm place with average humidity. The only thing is that even if they are in your yard, you might not find it easy to locate them because they are fast and smart.
They are very good at concealing their identity, especially during the day when you are taking care of the garden.
Another interesting thing about these sets of pests is that they are social animals; they move together and settle together in a particular location. Their favorite meal is rotten wood or plant material, and their favorite kind of location is a dark and damp space.
This is why you are most likely to find them in your basements, woodpiles, and even in your garden. O yes, a garden because they also love decaying vegetables as well. Unfortunately, if they don’t find the decayed vegetables, they are smart enough to take the next line of action- which includes devouring your seedlings, young foliage, and dead insects.
What do you do when you suspect an infestation in your yard already? I know you are already running down the list of contact or systemic insecticide to you.
Save your breath; there is a cheaper, more effective, and natural way of getting rid of an infestation.
If you plant the herbs listed below, you can control an earwig infestation and then prevent them from ever bothering your garden.
Plants That Resists Earwigs
- Garlic
Garlic belongs to the allium family, and it is one of the few plants that will repel all kinds of pests, whether little or very big. Insects are usually put off by the smell of garlic, so making garlic, your companion is a great idea.
But if you feel your garden is all set and you just can’t afford one more pot or space to plant, you can take the other way out.
You can mix about 3 ounces of chopped garlic that would have been soaked in mineral oil for 24hrs. To the mixture, you can add a big cup of water and then a ¼ ounce of dish soap. You can now shake your mixture properly.
For better effectiveness, you can add about 12 tablespoons of hot pepper or 2 tablespoons of chili powder. I tablespoon of vegetable oil, including about 7 cups of water and another round of dish detergent. Mix all of these properly and add 3 cups of water.
Pour the combination into a blender and then allow the blender to whip it properly.
Add all the ingredients and 3 cups of water. Whip in the blender, then adds the remainder of the water later. Strain it through muslin, fill your spray bottle, and save the rest in a glass jar.
You can apply this around your home or your garden to scare earwigs out of your environment.
- Wormwood
Wormwood is an Artemesia plant that is very potent in exterminating mosquitoes, and it will also help get rid of earwigs that are in your environment.
You can use this as a companion plant for your onions and carrot to keep all kinds of pests away.
- Bay Leaves
This plant is popular for its bitterness, even though it is used for fragrance when cooking. The bay leaves can get rid of a wide range of pests, including mosquitoes, fruit flies, moths, roaches, and then earwigs.
Plants That Attracts Tachinid Fly
Another way to get rid of the earwig is to invite their enemies to prey on them. One good way to do this is to plant herbs or flowers or vegetables that will attract their predators. With their predators around, the little pest will be gone out of your farm in no time.
One of the sworn enemies of the earwig is the tachinid fly. The following are herbs and shrubs that can help attract tachinid fly into your garden;
Alyssum: This flowering plant belongs to the family of Brassicaceae. Alyssum maritimum is commonly referred to as sweet alyssum or sweet Alison or just alyssum. It is an annual plant that has a very short life span and, therefore, cannot be identified as a perennial plant. Its stem stretches out to form branches and then brings out a cluster of small flowers. The leaves are broad, hairy, alternate
The alyssum flowers come out in pink, rose-red, violet, yellow, and lilac colors with four rounded white petals and four sepals. These flowers can produce flowers throughout the year, especially when it is not frosty. This set of flowers invite pollinators like tachinid fly, and they have a sweet scent that smells like honey.
If you plant this flower around the areas of an earwig infestation, the tachinid fly that is drawn by the flower will find the earwig as an extra juicy lunch, till their population leaves your yard.
Calendula: This plant is popularly called the pot marigold (Calendula officinalis). It comes out in bright yellow and orange flowers, giving you a reason to light up your garden.
Calendula plants are used for medicinal and culinary purposes. The petals are used to add more yellow to the color of cheese and butter and are an essential ingredient in cooking stews, salads, or broths.
The beauty of this plant is that it does not require so much attention and can survive harsh weather conditions. Another feature is that no part of the plant is a waste; the flowers can be dried and stored for future consumption and use.
The plant is known to contain properties that stimulate the immune system and is also an important ingredient in a lot of cosmetics.
How To Plant Calendula
This herb does not require much physical attention nor maintenance. If you pay too much attention to the plant, it may end up having stunted growth. All it needs is draining soil that requires watering every once in a while.
The calendula is an annual plant with roots that is capable of adapting to the space it was given and a stem that reseeds on its own. But you must know that it loves the sun, whether you plant it in pots or beds, just make sure it has access to the sun even though the plant enjoys a cooler temperature.
This plant is quite capable of blooming back to back- from spring to fall and beyond- occasionally taking a break during the heat. You must trim this plant regularly to keep it in shape.
Dill: A single dill plant can last up to two years, so it cannot be called a perennial plant. It is a biennial herb that is highly sensitive to light.
A natural growing dill can self-seed year after year. Its seeds are used for dill pickles, and they are used as a seasoning for meats, fish, eggs, etc.
You can replace your parsley with dill when you are tired of it. This herb can make an amazing leek and potato soup.
How To Plant Dill
Just like a lot of herbs, this plant can sit almost anywhere you want it to. It can survive extreme weather conditions. You also need to consider using well-drained sandy soil- this will give the herb a very strong odor.
You can plant this herb in spring or fall. Just ensure that you plant the seeds early enough and by the end of the frost so that they can grow on time. Otherwise, the seed may not develop until the second year.
This plant cannot be transplanted because of its long taproot. The best you can do is to keep sowing so that you can have a continuous harvest all around the year.
You don’t need to fertilize this plant, but you have to ensure that the stalks are upright.
In Summary
It’s nice to have some earwigs around to help with compost waste. They are also useful in curbing an infestation of other unwanted insects and pests like aphids, mites, nematodes.
Another way to prevent an earwig infestation in your yard is to:
- Try not to grow susceptible plants near walls or covered in hedges because it will serve as their hideout.
- Create a bird-friendly garden. This way, you will invite birds who then, in turn, feed on the pest
- Maintain an orderly and tidy garden.
- Try as much as possible to keep mulch away from your home’s foundation
- Always vacuum, especially once you discover an infestation. When you do this, in no time, you would have exterminated the pests.
But then, what you must avoid at all cost is an infestation by either planting flowers or herbs that repels them or planting flowers or herbs that will call the attention of their intruders.