Perhaps the mild winter we had was beneficial to earwigs. I have to say I have never ever seen one in my present garden - I probably don't have the plants they like.

Thanks Cammomile, this afternoon we picked up a plant pot and there must have been about 50 below. We use a tarp to cover garden furniture and there always seems to be rather a large number lurking below this has never happened before, quite unnerving.

There do seem to be years when there are lots more than usual. I recall one year when they were everywhere, even found one in my toothbrush bristles and one in the cornflakes tin. Other years we don't even see one. 50 is too many to keep calm about! There are several sites on the Net suggesting ways of controlling them if you want to try. Just Google earwig control.

I am finding a lot of them...I have no issue with them tbh. I go out at night and catch and kill vine weevil. Those I have issue with. TBH I would not be worried about lots of Earwigs...unless you are a flower grower.

Thanks folks, going to check out earwig control. Don't like them because so many have just appeared.

There could be good reason for the population rise and that is an abundance of another pest on your property that they feeding on. Once that food source dwindles so will they and natures scale will balance once again.

they are brilliant parents and live in family units something unherd of in a reptile let alone an insect .I bet they will be more unnerverd bye being killed lol .

Take it easy Noseypotter.

why ?

I have also found a lot of earwigs in my garden this year with most being in my veggie patch and amongst the salad leaves. They seem to move away quite quickly when they are disturbed but I haven't seen the numbers that you have Bigboab.

NP that's really interesting - really we sometimes have no idea what's going on under our plants!!

Don't stress Bigboab, winter's coming and they will soon be gone without any help from chemicals.

thanx stera the more we learn the more we realise how intelligent these wonderfull creatures are . id say theres probably lots of spiders,flies and earwigs because of the lack of a cold winter last year and there havnt been that many wasps that hunt spiders either for some reasen .