Earwigs are insects easily recognized by the prominent pincer-like appendages, or cerci, extending from their abdomen. Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic pests that subsist entirely on the blood of humans and animals. Since earwigs are opportunistic feeders, people often wonder if they might naturally control a bed bug infestation. Understanding their biology clarifies whether these two pests interact in a way that provides meaningful pest management.
The Predatory Relationship Between Earwigs and Bed Bugs
Earwigs are generalist predators, meaning they will consume a variety of food sources, including smaller, softer-bodied insects. However, there is no documented evidence suggesting they actively seek out or consume bed bugs in a way that would control an infestation. The primary obstacle to this relationship is the significant difference in their preferred environments.
Earwigs thrive in dark, damp, and cool locations, often found in gardens, under mulch, or in moist indoor areas like basements. Bed bugs, however, prefer dry, warm, and cryptic harborages close to their human hosts, such as mattresses, box springs, and furniture. The likelihood of an earwig finding and consuming a bed bug is minimal because they rarely inhabit the same microclimate within a home. Relying on earwigs for bed bug control is not a viable strategy, as the pests’ ecological separation makes any interaction highly improbable.
What Earwigs Actually Consume
Earwigs are scavengers and omnivores, with their diet consisting largely of decaying organic matter. They play a role in decomposition by consuming mold, fungi, and rotting plant material, especially in moist soil or mulch. Their predatory habits are typically directed toward other small, slow-moving arthropods.
Specific prey includes aphids, mites, insect eggs, and caterpillar pupae, which are readily available in their preferred outdoor environment. When earwigs move indoors, it is often in search of moisture when outdoor conditions become too dry, hot, or cold. Inside a structure, their diet may expand to include stored goods like flour, bread, or other accessible food scraps, but they do not require a blood meal for survival.
Distinct Management Strategies for Each Pest
Since earwigs do not control bed bugs, management requires separate and targeted approaches for each pest. Earwig control focuses on reducing moisture and removing harborages around the structure’s perimeter. This involves clearing leaf litter and mulch away from the foundation, repairing leaky faucets, and sealing cracks or entry points into the home. Simple traps, like low-sided cans filled with oil, can also be effective at reducing outdoor populations.
Bed bug elimination requires a comprehensive approach that targets their preferred indoor habitats. Effective strategies include laundering all bedding and clothing at high heat for at least 30 minutes in a dryer, which is lethal to all life stages. Vacuuming seams of mattresses and furniture, followed by immediate disposal of the sealed vacuum bag, helps remove active bugs. Due to the cryptic nature of bed bugs, professional intervention, often involving heat treatments or targeted chemical applications, is typically required for successful eradication.