Two-tailed birds (another name is forktails) mainly live in gardens and vegetable gardens, but if suitable conditions are available, they willingly settle in houses near people. If you have ever seen these insects in your bathroom or kitchen, you probably experienced terrible disgust and a desire to immediately get rid of the two-tailed insects.
These arthropods got their name from the characteristic double chitinous outgrowths (cerci, stings), reminiscent of a claw or fork, on the back of the body
With the help of such a grasping device, the two-tailed fish clamps food. She is not picky about food - she eats vegetables and fruits, inflorescences and young shoots of plants, other insects and crumbs from your table. The body of the two-tailed fish is reddish-brown, oblong and segmented with six legs, there are no eyes on the head, but there are long antennae. The size of adult individuals is generally 0.5-2 cm, but can reach up to 6 cm. These insects are mobile, run fast, and are predominantly nocturnal.
Two-easted birds are often confused with the very similar earwigs.
The differences between them are insignificant - earwigs belong to the order Leatheroptera, accordingly, they have small, tightly fitting wings, which they use rarely and little by little; in addition, they have eyes.
It doesn’t matter how much you understand entomology and correctly classify insects at first glance when it comes to the need to get rid of double-easts in a house or apartment. Whether forktails or earwigs, the same methods and means of control are used. We'll talk about them later, but first let's figure out where they come from and how they get into human habitation.
What is a double tail?
Double-tailed - this is how the insect was popularly called because of the strong chitinous outgrowths instead of a tail, called cerci. The correct term is earwig or forktail. It has an oblong segmented body of brown-red color with six legs. There are no eyes, and long antennae are located in front, reaching half of the insect's body.
It also has small wings, but the forktail rarely uses them and flies only short distances. Usually its size is modest: 2 or 3 cm, but there are also larger individuals that grow up to 7 cm. The cerci of all varieties are different: in medium-sized specimens they are small and relatively thin. The large ones have hard, powerful, claw-like claws, with which the two-tailed fish hunt springtails and small soil mites.
The doubletail settles in damp and cool places; it loves holes with humus. Two-tailed ducks are extremely agile and dexterous, move very quickly, hunt at night, not one at a time, but in flocks. Their diet is varied, the predator looks for larvae of small insects, microscopic mites and centipedes. He will not refuse the shoots and inflorescences of plants, fruits, vegetables, and will not disdain bread crumbs.
Penetrating into a living space, it hides in damp nooks, crevices between baseboards, boards, cracks in walls, and in the basements of houses. In apartments it hides in bathtubs and rooms with poor ventilation. Her presence in the house is not always immediately noticeable, because she goes out hunting at night and hides during the day.
Life cycle of the cat fluke
Together with the feces of the definitive hosts (for example, foxes), invasive helminth eggs enter water bodies and are ingested by mollusks, in whose body the larva develops within two months and turns into a cercaria, the active larval form.
Leaving the body of the mollusk, the cercaria moves freely in the water in search of a new intermediate host: fish from the carp family. The larvae of the cat fluke actively invade the body of the fish and are localized in the muscles and subcutaneous layer of fat, where they form cysts. When eating infected fish, the larvae enter the human body and emerge from protective capsules (cysts), which dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract. Through the bile ducts, the larvae penetrate into the gallbladder and liver, where they reach sexual maturity and begin actively producing eggs (up to 4000 per day).
Are double tails dangerous?
Insects look quite unpleasant, so their appearance frightens many, thanks to this, myths arose about a dangerous poison, the ability to sneak into people’s brains through the ears and eat it.
In fact, it does not pose any particular danger to humans: the cerci, also called stingers, are designed to capture prey. They clamp the victim as if in a vice, bending like a scorpion’s tail to make it more comfortable for the insect to eat food. She also uses them in moments of danger, exploring escape routes on the move, when she backs away if she doesn’t have time to turn around.
Earwigs in the garden and at home
But proximity to these insects in an apartment is extremely undesirable:
- being in a living room, they begin to manage things in an impudent manner, eat almost all foods, are very fond of vegetables, indoor plants, and wallpaper paste;
- in search of food, forktails are able to climb even into a bread bin or refrigerator:
- how any insects carry various infections on their legs;
- at night, while a person is sleeping, they can climb on it, penetrate into the ear, lay larvae there or damage the eardrums, hence their another nickname - earwigs;
- hiding in the cracks of the walls, they contribute to their destruction;
- if you accidentally touch them, then in defense, the two-tailed one pinches the cerci quite noticeably;
- small wounds form, which then itch and itch unpleasantly;
- If an allergic reaction occurs, watery blisters appear, they subsequently burst, and the ulcers then take a long time to heal, causing concern.
You won’t be able to get rid of insects just like that, and sealing up the cracks is not enough; they need to be poisoned and kicked out of the house, every single one of them.
Harm and danger
Insects are not poisonous. They never attack a person unless they feel threatened by him. Insect bites are not dangerous, but they are unpleasant. They do not pose any serious consequences for human health. Redness may occur at the site of the bite. The main danger is the possibility of spreading infection.
In hot, dry summers, earwigs spoil ripe fruits of apples and pears that have fallen to the ground from trees, and eat up the pulp of strawberries. They also feed on the sap of flower plants.
Insecticides
Chemical means allow you to get rid of double-tailed insects; they are quite effective and can destroy colonies of unpleasant neighbors.
- An old proven remedy - "Dichlorvos" - is a recognized fighter against insects in the house, but its disadvantage is a strong odor and high toxicity to humans. When spraying an aerosol, you must use respiratory protection, leave the room for several hours, and then ventilate well.
- Raptor is also an aerosol, although its smell is more pleasant compared to the previous drug, this does not make it less toxic, so protective measures should not be excluded either. Sprayed in close proximity to places where insects live.
- The Anti-Bug solution is designed for wooden surfaces; it is an ideal option for the veranda of a private house; it can also be used to treat baseboards in an apartment. Available in the form of liquids that are applied by brush or spray.
- Chalks are effective in the fight against any domestic insects; it is enough to draw stripes in the path of the two-east and they will die. This insecticide is inexpensive and relatively harmless to animals and humans.
- Some people use fly repellent tablets, inserting them into the fumigator; their effect also extends to the two-tailed fumigator.
- An effective remedy is Thiuram powder, it crumbles in small quantities, after tasting it, the two-tailed worm dies.
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However, in the fight against double-tailed insects, any drug created to kill insects is suitable; here it is important to strictly follow the instructions and protect yourself from poisons entering the body.
Description of the insect
The average length of the two-tailed fish is 2 cm, but some individuals grow to significant sizes (7 cm). The insect is characterized by a brown color. The body is segmented, which, along with significant endurance, also provides flexibility. At the end of the abdomen there are processes - cerci. With their help, the prey is captured, then the double tail lifts it, the body bends and delivers food to the oral apparatus.
The function of the eyes is performed by long mustaches. With their help, the pest is oriented in space. This is due to the high sensitivity of the mustache. Males are distinguished from females by their more rigid cerci.
Popularly, they are usually called double-tailed, due to the presence of characteristic “forceps” on the back of the abdomen.
Eating habits and lifestyle
Two-tailed animals appear in the apartment at night. Thanks to this feature, they can rarely be observed at home, which makes it difficult to combat them, because it is difficult to determine the degree of infection
Two-tails live in damp, damp places; it is important that they are hidden from prying eyes. For this reason, pests are usually found in the bathroom, toilet, and kitchen.
Insects are predatory, but can feed on berries and fruits
Sheds, basements, garages and other rooms with high levels of humidity and poor lighting are favorite places for pests.
In private housing, they are hidden behind baseboards, in the bottom drawers of cabinets, in various crevices of walls and floors. The colony population grows quickly, as up to 50 eggs are born in one breeding cycle.
The two-tailed fish feeds variedly. These can be insects, preferably nocturnal, as well as vegetation. The pest destroys young shoots of cultivated plants, fruits and berries. At home, the insect feeds on the remains of human food. This means that it is still necessary to get rid of the double-west.
Traditional methods
For various reasons, not everyone can afford to use toxic products from the chemical industry at home, so it is worth considering traditional methods of destroying and expelling two-worts from the house: Earwigs do not like strong odors, they scare them away and force them to leave their homes. People have long noticed this feature and developed methods of struggle.
- Onions and garlic are ground into a paste and diluted with boiling water, then the solution is left in a dark place for a day. It is necessary to treat all secret places where insects can hide with a “fragrant” product. After a week, the smell will disappear and the procedure must be repeated.
- An infusion of herbs with a strong odor will have the same effect; wormwood, oregano, and yarrow are suitable. A little more detergent or powder is diluted in it and also applied to joints, cracks, and baseboards. To ensure the quality of the result, repeat the treatment several times.
- “Bourne balls” are an attractive food for two-easts, but when they eat such a delicacy, they die very quickly. The secret is boric acid, although it is dangerous for any insects; they are attracted to the egg yolk mixed with it. The resulting pulp is rolled into balls, dried a little and laid out in places where their presence is likely. When preparing the composition, you should not forget about your own safety: you should wear rubber gloves on your hands.
- Another method of destroying two-easted birds, it is based on their love of dampness. Where they are supposed to live, you need to lay out crumpled wet rags or rags. After checking the trap after a while, you can find an insect hiding under it. You can destroy it by pouring boiling water over the fabric or by shaking the insect outside.
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If a spider has settled in a secluded corner of the bathroom, you should not rush to destroy the web, it will help reduce the number of forktails, since you won’t mind feasting on them at all.
What they look like
In nature, there are true two-tailed birds - forktails and earwigs. It is the latter that are popularly called two-tailed. They have 2 chitinous formations (cerci) on the body. Their shape resembles pincers.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=pHV7QreePmE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=pHV7QreePmE
The size of the bivost depends on the species. There are giant varieties with a body length of up to 50 mm, and there are small ones with a body no more than 5 mm. Forktails lack pigmentation. There are no eyes, they are replaced by long, sensitive antennae. The abdomen is formed by 10 segments, the last one has “forceps”, and there are 6 legs.
The body of earwigs is brown and elongated. The head is heart-shaped with small eyes and thread-like whiskers. The insect has 2 pairs of wings, but they are not used. Earwigs fly extremely rarely. With forceps (forceps), located in the back of the body, insects defend themselves and hold food.
Preventing the appearance of double tails in the house
So that the earwig forever forgets the way to the house and does not appear again:
- you need to find and destroy its nests, you should look under the floor, in cracks in the walls, insulation, under baseboards, in a word, in all the cracks where moisture can accumulate;
- the egg laying must be destroyed, and the affected materials must be replaced with new ones.
- since the insect lives in places of high humidity, it is necessary to eliminate the possibility of the formation of a favorable environment for its habitat in the home;
- carry out repair work to eliminate dampness in residential premises: thermal insulation and waterproofing of walls and basements;
- regular ventilation of premises;
- during cool periods, thoroughly heat the home;
- It is better to dry clothes outside or use electric dryers;
- do not leave taps open;
- prevent pipes from leaking;
- Moisture absorbers will help cope with high humidity;
- do not leave leftover food, take out the trash regularly;
- In summer, put a net on the windows.
If all the methods and methods turned out to be insufficiently productive, then high-quality repairs will help get rid of the two-way, and the sanitary and epidemiological station will carry out a thorough treatment.
Ways of entry into residential areas
To remove insects, you need to block their access to the house. They penetrate through windows and doors, as well as cracks in the housing frame (foundation, walls, floor). These insects can find leaks in window frames and door frames. They make their way through the entry points of sewer pipes. Two-easters are attracted to objects with high levels of humidity, where dampness is felt.
Doubletails appear in areas where moisture is most likely to be found:
- Bathroom
- Water pipes where condensation occurs
- Places of sewerage exit from the premises
- The foundation, which is facilitated by the dampness of the basement and subfloor, especially if it is the foundation of a wooden house.
In addition, some species are attracted to light. These insects are more likely to appear in houses that are located in lowlands or near a body of water.
Finding the problem
Bring a flashlight into the garden after dark when earwigs begin feeding actively. Look for damaged seedlings, which may have parts of their above-ground base missing or even be cut completely off like a knife. Inspect the leaves for eaten edges or irregularly shaped holes. If earwigs are found during the examination, they need to be collected and then drowned in soapy water.
Method 1
Generously coat the bottom of the plant stems with Vaseline. Earwigs will not be able to get over such a barrier.
Method 2
Cut an orange, grapefruit, melon or watermelon in half and eat the pulp. The peel should be laid on its side along the perimeter of all beds whose vegetation has characteristic damage. The procedure should be repeated every 2-3 days. In the morning, there will be a lot of insects on such a unique trap, which can also be sent into a deadly bath for them.
Method 3
You can catch earwigs with stale beer or offer them some Asian cuisine. Punch several 5mm holes in the top of the lid of a small disposable plastic container. Pour some stale beer in there. If there is no beer, you can mix equal parts of soy sauce and vegetable oil. It is best to place such traps so that the holes in the death trap are flush with the surface of the ground. To do this, you can dig the container a little. Every couple of days the contents of the trap should be replaced with fresh ones.
Method 4
The next version of the trap should be placed early in the morning for the day, unlike the previous options. The essence of the method is to lure earwigs into conditions that are most favorable for them - dark and damp. To do this, you need to roll up a roll of old newspapers so that you get a tube with an internal diameter of about a centimeter and a wall thickness of at least 5 mm. You need to roll it so that the individual sheets of newspaper do not touch each other very tightly.
Before sunset, the trap must be cleared of insects or replaced with a fresh one the next day, otherwise the earwigs will scatter at night in search of food.
Method 5
Also during the day. You can cut out one side of an empty milk carton to make a daytime hiding place for your earwig. Wash it with soap and warm water. Place finely torn pieces of newspaper inside and moisten them. Set the trap close to the garden bed in the early morning. During a hot day, pests will hide in wet newspaper to wait out the heat.
Method 6
Remove any objects from the garden that earwigs seek out for hiding places, such as wood stacks, weed piles, grass clippings and debris. If mulch is used, its layer should be located at a distance of half a meter from the first stem of the young plant.
As a conclusion, it is worth noting that you should water the beds only as needed, since earwigs are attracted by excess moisture, and it is better to avoid street lighting altogether for a while, since it also attracts insects.
We hope that our tips will be very useful for those of our readers who are trying to get rid of this type of pest. If you have your own effective methods of fighting and you know exactly what kind of poison exists from the two-east, please write in the comments to this article.
Habitats
Knowing the lifestyle of insects, you can calculate their habitats. There are more than enough of them in every summer cottage and country estate.
Silage heaps
The pit is filled with chopped plants. It is lined with brick or concrete. The canopy is constructed from boards and bars. Two-tailed insects live in cracks in fences and wooden parts. They feed on plant debris.
Mulch and peat
Two-tailed birds make nests under mulch made of crushed bark, dry grass and peat. It's dark, damp and cool there. There is always food.
Flower garden and flower beds
At night, insects feed on flower petals. At night they hide in the cracks of the curb.
Woodshed
Nests are made under firewood and boards lying on the floor. In the walls of the barn.
Utility rooms
In the utility room there are many items where two-tailed dogs feel comfortable: boxes and buckets with vegetables, floor rags, unnecessary trash (boxes, rags, old toys).
Bath
There is a lot of wood in the bathhouse; due to the nature of the room, it is always damp. Two-tailed insects overwinter safely and reproduce in crevices.
Veranda
A wood-lined porch is an ideal place for earwigs to breed and live. They make nests on a frame made of bars. With the onset of dusk and at night, doubletails crawl out to fish.
Cellar, basement
Basements have moderate temperatures and high humidity, there are insects, vegetables and soil. These are ideal conditions for two-easters.
Summer showers
The frames of summer shower cabins and the floor are made of wood. The soil under the structure is always moist. Insects live in cracks and under the floor.
Near a water source
Summer water pipes laid over the surface are covered with condensate. It is always damp and cool under them. This attracts insects. Two-tailed birds live under water containers.
