Earwigs look alarming — the rear pincers don’t help — but they’re more of a nuisance than a serious threat. The problem is that in wet springs and dry summers, they can show up inside Iowa homes in significant numbers, especially in basements and bathrooms. Colfax homeowners regularly deal with earwig invasions that start at the foundation and work their way in. Getting control of the exterior is where this problem gets solved.

Signs of an Earwig Infestation

  • Earwigs found inside — especially in basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or under sinks
  • Large populations in mulch beds or under landscape timbers — earwigs cluster in moist, dark areas
  • Plant damage in gardens — ragged, irregular holes in leaves, especially on seedlings and soft plant tissue
  • Earwigs under rocks, boards, or debris near the foundation — a sign of high outdoor populations that may migrate in
  • Activity primarily at night — earwigs are nocturnal and scatter quickly when disturbed

Why Earwigs Are Common in Colfax

Earwigs need moisture and organic material to thrive, and Iowa’s climate delivers both. Wet springs mean saturated mulch beds and plenty of decaying plant material at the foundation — perfect earwig habitat. In dry summers, they move toward homes seeking the moisture that exists in basements and crawl spaces.

Colfax has the landscaped residential lots, mulch beds, and mature plantings that support large earwig populations. Deep mulch against the foundation, landscape timbers, wood chip beds, leaf litter — all of these create breeding and harborage habitat directly against the home’s exterior. The path from there to inside is short.

Our Earwig Control Process

Miller Pest Solutions focuses on exterior perimeter treatment first — applying residual insecticide along the foundation, in mulch beds adjacent to the home, around window wells, and at any entry points at foundation level. This intercepts earwigs before they get inside.

We’ll also identify harborage areas that are contributing to the population and recommend modifications: pulling mulch back from direct contact with the foundation, removing excess organic debris, addressing moisture issues at the foundation. Interior treatments focus on basement and bathroom areas where earwigs are already active.

Exclusion sealing — gaps around pipes, utility penetrations at foundation level, damaged window well seals — is part of a thorough earwig solution.

Why Choose Miller Pest Solutions

In business since 2001. QualityPro Certified. NPMA member. Joel Miller personally has been in pest control since 2007. We’ve handled earwig invasions throughout the Des Moines area and understand the seasonal pattern — what to do in spring versus summer versus fall varies, and we’ll match the approach to the timing.

Get a Free Phone Bid Today

Earwigs invading your Colfax home or garden? Call Miller Pest Solutions at (515) 329-8801 for a free phone bid. We’ll talk through what’s causing the problem and how to fix it. Visit millerthekiller.com for more information.