Earwigs
Brown, pincer-tailed insects that hide by day and chew holes in petals, soft leaves and ripe fruit at night, but also eat aphids.
Also known as: European earwig
Symptoms and identification
Ragged holes in petals, flower buds and soft leaves, and chewed seedlings, appear overnight. Fruit such as strawberries and peaches may be hollowed. Earwigs are found hiding in curled leaves, flower heads, folds of petals and under pots and boards by day.
Causes
Earwigs shelter in damp, dark places such as thick mulch, leaf litter and garden debris, and come out at night to feed. Numbers build up in warm, damp weather.
Organic treatment
Trap them in a flowerpot stuffed with straw on a cane, or in a rolled-up damp newspaper, and empty it each morning. Sticky barrier bands around the stems of trees can keep them from climbing.
Prevention
Keep mulch thin near vulnerable plants and clear up debris. Do not remove all earwigs, since they eat aphids and other pests and are only a nuisance in numbers.
Chemical treatment (use with care)
Insecticide baits labelled for earwigs exist, but are seldom needed. Follow the label and keep them away from pets and children.