Earwigs under the doormat
Doormats and pots by doors trap moisture and shelter earwigs right at the threshold.
Spiders, Wasps & Seasonal
Earwig Control in Seattle
Earwigs love the cool, damp conditions Seattle gardens provide. European earwigs hide under mulch, boards and pots by day and wander inside at night, especially into bathrooms and basements. We reduce the moisture and shelter they need, treat the perimeter, and seal the gaps they use.
Call (206) 944-0849 All treatments
- Moisture and harborage fixed
- Perimeter treatment
- Thresholds sealed
- Answered 24/7
Reviewed by Marjorie Tidwell, Pest Prevention Writer. Updated 2026-10-05.
In short: Call (206) 944-0849 if earwigs are showing up indoors, under doormats, in bathrooms and basements, or chewing seedlings and flowers. We find the outdoor harborage, recommend moisture and mulch fixes, treat the foundation perimeter, and seal door thresholds and gaps so they stay outside.
What this treatment covers
Dry the edges, treat the perimeter, seal the doors
The European earwig is common across the Pacific Northwest. It is easy to recognize by the pincers at the end of its abdomen, which look alarming but are harmless to people. Earwigs feed on decaying plant matter, small insects and tender plants, and they hide by day in moist, dark places such as mulch, leaf litter, boards, pots and the gaps under doormats.
They come indoors mostly by accident, following moisture and shelter at night, and end up in bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements and kitchens. Indoors they do not breed or cause damage, but they can be startling in large numbers.
Control focuses on the outdoor edge of the house. We identify where earwigs are sheltering, recommend pulling mulch back from the foundation, fixing leaks and drainage, and removing boards and debris near the house. Then we treat the perimeter and seal door sweeps, thresholds and gaps so fewer make it inside.
What the visit includes
- Inspection of foundation, mulch beds and outdoor shelter
- Moisture and harborage recommendations
- Perimeter treatment along the foundation and entry points
- Door sweep and threshold sealing
- Garden-area guidance for plant damage
- Follow-up if pressure stays high
Catch it early
Six signs of an earwig problem
Earwigs in the bathroom
Bathrooms and laundry rooms attract them with moisture.
Ragged holes in seedlings
Earwigs chew tender leaves and flowers at night.
Large numbers in mulch
Lifting mulch or boards reveals dozens hiding by day.
Basement sightings after rain
Wet weather pushes them to find drier shelter indoors.
Earwigs in garden furniture
Cushions, umbrellas and stored pots shelter them close to the house.
The Seattle angle
A Northwest garden favorite
Seattle's mild, damp climate and love of deep mulch beds, ferns and shaded gardens give earwigs ideal habitat. Populations build through spring and summer and often peak in late summer, when they are most visible in gardens and around doors.
Many Seattle homes have mulch and plantings right against the foundation, plus older door thresholds without modern sweeps. Creating a drier strip along the foundation and sealing thresholds dramatically reduces how many earwigs make it inside.
How the job runs
How an earwig job runs
Call with what you see
Where they show up indoors and where they hide outside.
Find the harborage
Mulch, pots, boards and damp areas near the foundation checked.
Fix the edge
Moisture and mulch recommendations to dry the foundation line.
Treat the perimeter
Foundation and entry points treated.
Seal the doors
Sweeps and thresholds sealed so fewer get inside.
Honest numbers
What earwig control costs
Earwig work usually sits at the low end of Seattle's published $95 to $550 one-time range. What moves the price:
- Perimeter footage and number of entry doors
- Amount of mulch and harborage near the foundation
- Sealing scope for sweeps and thresholds
- Whether garden areas need attention
- Follow-up visits in heavy seasons
- One-time service versus a seasonal plan
Most homes need one visit plus the moisture and mulch changes. Properties with heavy garden pressure may prefer seasonal perimeter service.
Make the visit count
Before the visit
- Note where earwigs appear indoors and outdoors
- Lift a doormat or pot and see what is underneath
- Point out leaks, downspouts and damp areas near the house
- Clear access along the foundation
- Move stored pots, boards and cushions away from doors
- Mention any garden plants being damaged
Straight answers
Earwig questions
Rarely. Their pincers are mostly used for defense and mating and are not a real danger.
That is a myth. They are no more likely to go into ears than any other insect.
No. They wander in but do not breed or establish indoors.
Both. They eat aphids and decaying matter but also chew seedlings and flowers.
Keep a dry strip along the foundation, fix leaks, and seal door thresholds.
Late spring through fall, especially in damp weather.
Earwigs in the bathroom again? Fix the edge outside.
Call (206) 944-0849
Talk to a technician
Keep earwigs in the garden
Drier foundation edges, a treated perimeter and sealed doors. Call and tell us where they are showing up.
Call (206) 944-0849Answered 24/7 from our Seattle service office.