The wet winter is to blame for the invasion, as such an environment "is conducive for them to actually breed more and lay more eggs," entomologist Dr. Chow-Yang Lee told KCBS. But the creepy-looking critters are harmless.
Earwigs, also known as pincher bugs, are about to be everywhere. The insects have been laying low, but they’re ready for their close-up.
The wet winter is to blame for the invasion.
"The environment is conducive for them to actually breed more and lay more eggs," entomologist Dr. Chow-Yang Lee told KCBS. "Their presence is very much associated with moisture so dryer years you tend to see less of the ear wigs compared to those years with more moisture.”
Federal forecasters had predicted that the U.S. would see a warm and wet winter because of El Nino, a phenomenon that occurs every two to five years where the equatorial Pacific Ocean warms, and climate change. "This year, El Nino is in place heading into winter for the first time in four years, driving the outlook for warmer-than-average temperatures for the northern tier of the continental United States," said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center in its U.S. winter outlook released in October. "From December through February, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for northern Alaska, portions of the West, the southern Plains, Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic."
Indeed, much of the Southern California region got over 20 inches of rain. And the New York Tri-State Area saw 14.04 inches, CBS New York reported.
Now, many people around North America are saying they are seeing earwigs in abundance. But those unnerved by the creepy-looking critters can take comfort in knowing that they are harmless.
If you want to seek them out, start by looking under rocks and mulch.
Experts say that if they do become too much of a pain, you can dry out areas where you see them.
Related Stories
