Publication: CBC
Date: Wednesday July 28th, 2010
Audience: 1421754
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/07/27/earwig-invasion.html
Summary
Hot, humid days encourage population explosion of the critters
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 | 9:22 PM ET Comments4Recommend11CBC News
A hot, sticky summer has lead to a population boom in Eastern Ontario — of earwigs.
“We’re in the midst of a population explosion,” Jeff Dawson, an insect biologist at Carleton University, told CBC News. “This creates moist dark crevices that are ideal breeding conditions for the earwigs.”
European earwigs first invaded the Ottawa region 30 years ago. The fierce-looking creatures carry a set of pincers on their abdomen and a set of ear-shaped wings, though they rarely fly. They can be 1.5 to two centimetres long. Health Canada says that despite the earwig’s scary looks, the bug isn’t harmful to humans. Earwigs feed on decaying plants, tender shoots and blossoms, the eggs of other insects, and sometimes each other.
The boom in population this summer has also driven a boom in business for pest control. Companies in the Ottawa area say they’ve received twice as many calls as usual for earwig help compared with other summers.
Some people in the Ottawa area are taking matters into their own hands. Andrew Balfour says he’s been vigilant about treating the exterior of his home and that, so far, he’s winning his battle against the beasts.
“You don’t need to necessarily use pesticide,” Balfour said. “I just use a lot of hot water and soap. I call it my holy war against the earwigs.”