HOME & GARDEN
Are pincher bugs dangerous in your basement?
Mike Hogan
Special to The Columbus Dispatch
July 25, 2026, 6:00 a.m. ET
- Earwigs, commonly known as pincher bugs, are not dangerous to humans, despite their appearance.
- To prevent earwigs from entering a home, seal cracks in the foundation, windows and doors.
- A common fungal disease called Guignardia leaf blotch is causing yellowing leaves on buckeye and horse chestnut trees.
Editor’s note: Throughout the growing season, Mike Hogan, OSU Extension educator for Agriculture and Natural Repe questions submitted by Dispatch readers. Send your questions to hogan.1@osu.edu
Question: Pincher bugs have invaded our finished basement, where our grandchildren play, and I am concerned that they might get bitten. How can we get rid of them?
Answer: The insects you are asking about are earwigs, which are commonly called pincher bugs because of their forceps-like tails. While these insects look frightening, and there is an old superstition about earwigs getting in the ear and burrowing into the brain, they do not pose a danger to humans, including grandchildren
Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) are nocturnal insects and, as such, are most active at night. They can be considered beneficial as they prey on other insects, spiders and mites, but even beneficial insects are a nuisance when they enter the inside of homes. They are considered scavenger insects because they feed on insects and decaying organic matter
The earwigs are likely entering your basement trough tiny cracks around windows, doors or in the foundation. Earwigs prefer dark, damp locations with a supply of organic matter such as mulch. We also find them under porches and decks, especially under items stored on the ground in these locations
While you can apply an insecticide labeled for indoor use to kill these insects in the basement, long-term control will require you to address how they are entering the home from outdoors. This should always be the first control strategy before any insecticide treatment. First, try to seal frames around windows, door and cracks in the foundation
Earwigs thrive under organic mulch, so if there is mulch up against the foundation of the home, this is likely where these insects will be found. A perimeter spray with an outdoor insecticide directly next to the foundation of the home can be an effective barrier to keep these insects from wandering into the basement. You may also want to create a dry zone free of organic material next to the foundation by pulling the mulch a few inches away from the foundation
Q: We have several buckeye and horse chestnut trees in our yard that sometimes get yellow leaves late in the summer. This year, the yellowing is much more widespread, and the leaves started yellowing in June, before the hot weather arrived. Is this the result of a blight, and will the trees eventually die?
A: The horse chestnut leaves in the photo appear to be infected with a common fungal disease called Guignardia leaf blotch, which is caused by the fungus (Guignardia aesculi). The disease seems to be more pronounced this year, likely due to the extended periods of wet weather and wet foliage earlier in the spring. Infections are more likely when trees are growing closely together in shaded areas with little air movement
This is mostly an aesthetic problem that does not threaten the overall health of mature established trees in good health, so control measures are not recommended. Typically, infections of this fungal disease peak in late summer and early fall after the tree has completed its annual growth, but even with the early onset of this disease this year, the trees should not be adversely affected
