help id insect

Athol, MA

I probably belong in the insect forum. The problem is that there are 321 pages of photos to look at and I have no clue as to the name. It's about 1/3 of an inch long, black, slender, with a tail that curves back up (scorpion fashion)and I think has pincers on it. There were alot of them chowing down on my merigold leaves at the family graves. Only the graves that had mulch down were infested with these critters and on ly the merigolds had been eaten. Any help would be appreciated. It is strictly a crawling insect.

Athol, MA

Yes, it's earwigs. Thank you very much.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

No problem. I had an Alfred Hitchcock moment with them as a kid. We went to a beach on LI and they were everywhere! Going home in the car we kept finding them and stomping on them. They are nasty.

Eastern Long Island, NY(Zone 7a)

I hate those things!

Athol, MA

What should I put on my plants to protect them? Or should I try to eliminate the earwigs with something?

Southeastern, CT(Zone 6a)

I've been freaked out by those since the Star Trek movie when them put 'em in the guy's ear. EEeeeewwwww

I know earwigs like water/moisture. Don't know how to get rid of them, though.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Don't know. I would just Google it.

Delray Beach, FL(Zone 10a)

When I lived in Montreal, we were literally infested with earwigs. They seem to prefer to crawl under things laying on the ground, such as boards, rocks, flower pots, between the slats on a wooden picnic table, etc.

One day, we opened the back door. They had crawled between the door and its frame. Opening the door caused them to fall in a buggy precipitation. My wife just about freaked. I then decided to wage war upon these horrid insects to stop them from entering our house.

I followed the advice of a newspaper columnist. I mixed sardine oil (I love sardines) and diatomaceous earth. I would then spread that paste along the crack at the bottom of the door. They would eat the paste and die. I am happy to report that this worked for us and we never saw any in the house. I didn't attempt to fight them in the back yard. I guess that would have been futile.

There is one sure way of getting rid of them: move to Florida like I did. We don

Questa, NM(Zone 5b)

(((Ick))) you just sent chills up my spine lourspolaire.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Yes, they are gross! My beach experience was horror movie stuff. I left out some details. Hey - that sounds like a variation on a common expression - 'Eat paste and die!'

Questa, NM(Zone 5b)

Tell no more Vic!

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