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The Ultimate Guide to Rodent Control
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Pincher bugs, also called earwigs, show up in gardens and inside DMV homes. You might wonder what they do, if they bite, or how to control them. I’m a registered technician with four years in the field and part of a third-generation team that’s served this area for over 50 years.
Pincher bugs belong to the insect order Dermaptera. In the Mid-Atlantic, you’ll mostly find the European earwig and the ring-legged earwig. All have forceps-like cerci at their rear that look like tiny pincers.
Adult pincher bugs range from about half an inch to over an inch long. They are reddish-brown to black, and a flattened body lets them slip into narrow cracks. Males have curved cerci and females’ are straighter.
Nymphs look like smaller, pale wingless versions of adults. Their forceps are not yet fully formed. Eggs are pearly white and laid in soil chambers where the mother guards them.
Although earwigs look like creepy crawlers, they’re true insects with six legs and three body parts. For more on bugs vs spiders, see Is a Spider a Bug? Clearing Up a Common Confusion.
Pincher bugs go through incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, then adult. This means they never have a pupal stage. Typically, there is one generation each year in our region.
Females lay 20–80 eggs in soil from mid-winter to early spring. They clean and protect the eggs and feed the first-instar young.
You’ll see pincher bugs outdoors during late spring to early fall. According to University of Maryland Extension, they’re most active when soil is moist and nights stay warm.
Pincher bugs are nocturnal scavengers and predators. By day, they hide under mulch, leaf litter, stones, or even in plant pots.
They leave tiny fecal marks that carry aggregation pheromones to help them group together. Porch lights can also lure them in on damp nights.
Pincher bugs slip indoors through foundation cracks, weep holes, and gaps around doors and windows. They’re drawn by moisture, heavy mulch, and dense groundcovers.
For tips on stopping their entry, see How Do Earwigs Get In Your House & Ways To Keep Them Out.
Once inside, they gather in basements, bathrooms, and laundry piles. You often spot them scurrying along baseboards at night.
Outdoors, look for irregular scalloped holes in leaves, petals, or gnaw marks on soft fruit. You might also find seedling stems with bite damage.
Indoors, clusters of pincher bugs in damp spots or scurrying insects along walls at night are telltale signs. Setting traps helps pinpoint active areas.
Folklore says earwigs burrow into ears and brains. Documented ear entries are very rare and usually unfounded.
Pincher bugs have no venom or known disease transmission. Their pinch can feel sharp but rarely breaks skin beyond a tiny scratch. Learn more in Do Termites Bite Humans? What You Need To Know.
In gardens, pincher bugs feed on decaying plant matter, seedlings, and flower petals. When populations soar, they can shred seedlings and puncture berries.
Indoors, they don’t chew wood or wires. At worst, they’re a messy nuisance no different from clover mites or boxelder bugs. For more on similar pests, see Are Boxelder Bugs Harmful? What to Know About Box Elder Bugs.
When I tackle earwig issues, I follow basic IPM steps—change habits first, then add controls. Here’s the breakdown:
Try simple traps at home: set tuna cans half-filled with oil near plant beds. Roll up damp newspapers as night shelters. Then check and empty them each morning.
If you’re catching earwigs every night or seeing clusters indoors, call our team. Our licensed technicians start with an expert phone consultation and a 78-point inspection to find entry points and hotspots. We use EPA-approved products vetted by our internal research team—ones we’d feel comfortable using in our own homes.
Follow a seasonal checklist: spring yard cleanup, summer trapping, and fall sealing. Replace heavy mulch with gravel near foundations and thin out groundcovers for better air flow.
Encourage natural predators like toads, ground beetles, and birds by keeping rocks and logs in the yard. Chickens and ducks also help cut earwig numbers.
As a third-generation family business with over 50 years in the DMV, I’ve seen how simple changes can curb pincher bug issues. Whether you tackle them yourself or call for pros, these steps will help keep earwigs under control.
Have questions or need an estimate? Call us at 703-683-2000 or email [email protected].
Start with traps like oil-bait cans and damp cardboard tubes. Fix leaks and seal cracks. For larger problems, our licensed technicians can inspect and treat entry points. For more tips, visit How Do Earwigs Get In Your House & Ways To Keep Them Out.
Yes, they use their cerci to pinch if threatened. The pinch is not venomous and usually feels like a tiny snap. Clean any minor break in skin with soap and water.
They don’t transmit diseases to people or pets. Pincher bugs lack venom and aren’t known to carry pathogens.
Warm, moist conditions and heavy mulch attract them. They thrive in summer when nighttime temps exceed 60 °F and soil stays damp.
Pincher bugs may pinch curious pets, but they don’t carry venom or diseases. Most pets lose interest once they find the bug unpalatable.
Keep areas around your home dry and clear debris. Seal cracks, thin mulch, and use traps in spring and summer. Regular checks will stop new invasions.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that’s been protecting homes for over 57 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area. Read his bio.
