BDN interviews Kirby for article on discouraging earwigs
The Bangor Daily News interviewed Clay Kirby, a pest management specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, for an article on earwigs and ways to discourage the pests. “With the fierce appearance of these things, they certainly have some stigma associated with them,” Kirby said. The article clarifies that concerns about the insects burrowing into people’s brains through their ears are based on a myth and that they are actually harmless to humans. However, they can damage gardens and be a nuisance. Earwigs are nocturnal, and prefer to hide in damp, dark areas during the day, according to the BDN. One way to get rid of them is to set traps by placing items that can provide shelter — such as a wooden board or rolled up damp newspaper — in an infested area. The insects will crawl under the traps, which can be picked up and shaken over a bucket of soapy water to drown them. “If you repeat this, eventually you’ll suppress their numbers,” said Kirby. “I think if people strive to diminish their numbers to tolerable levels, that’s more of a realistic goal than getting rid of every last one.” Prevention measures include sealing up cracks around a house’s foundation, windows and doors, checking items that have been outside before bringing them in, and keeping the house clean to discourage pests. WGME (Channel 13 in Portland) carried the BDN article.