We’ve been dealing with an earwig infestation this month, and we’re not alone: a number of people we’ve talked to in and around Shawville have said that they’ve never seen so many earwigs get into their homes before. While they’re apparently innocuous enough and only get into homes inadvertently, there are so many of them that up to half a dozen a day have found their way indoors — and if you know about my relationship with large insects (hint: total entomophobia), you know that something had to be done about that. So we’ve been dusting window sills, doorways and the foundation with diatomaceous earth, which is non-toxic but nonetheless kills earwigs (eventually). Jennifer also found dozens of them hiding under bags of soil and the garbage can, which she stomped pitilessly. With any luck, we’ll get the numbers down to the point where hardly any will end up in the house. I have no idea why there are so many this year.

See Health Canada’s Earwig Pest Note.