The two-tailed insect, also known as the earwig or forktail, is a narrow and flat insect, reaches a length of 4 cm. The body color is dark brown. It moves on six legs, at the end of the body it has a tail with two clearly visible pincers. They are used by insects to hold prey and reproduce.
Despite their aggressive appearance, double-tailed fish do not pose much of a threat. They do not carry diseases, and their bites are only inflicted in self-defense and are not painful. Very rarely this can result in an allergic reaction, but it will not cause significant harm to health.
Although people have been persistently rumored for many years that two-tailed earworms can penetrate the ear at night and damage the eardrums. In fact, this is a myth.
Where do double tails come from?
The natural habitat for living and breeding of two-wests are places with high humidity. Damp soil in vegetable gardens, shady places in gardens, grass near ponds.
In human habitats, these insects settle near sheds, on compost heaps, in basements, under stones. They feed on decaying organic matter. They are most active at night.
These insects can cause great harm to gardens and vegetable gardens, using the soft above-ground parts of plants to feed and eating holes in foliage and flowers. They can especially cause a lot of grief at the dacha, damaging the planted seedlings.
Often, trying to find food for themselves, the breeding site of two-tailed two-tailed birds occupy residential buildings. Once indoors, the two-tailed bird will find shelter and will not be immediately detected. To find where they accumulate, examine areas where moisture constantly forms.
Prevention
To forget about the problem, you need to eliminate the cause of its occurrence. First, you need to find out how the two-tailed bug got into the house. Since most often it crawls from garden plots and cellars, it is best to disinfect the basements. To stop insects from crawling out of the underground, all cracks in the walls and floor need to be sealed.
It is necessary to begin prevention during the construction of the house. If it is made of wood, all parts must be soaked in insect repellent liquids. They will prevent pests from getting inside. In spring, autumn and winter, the house must be heated daily to keep it warm and dry. The more light that comes through the windows, the better.
To prevent earwigs from appearing in the house again, it is important to avoid excessive moisture in damp places in the house. Napkins, sponges, rags should be dried, taps should be closed well
If liquid spills on the floor, it must be wiped up immediately. You can purchase a special moisture absorber. A good preventive measure is the installation of electric ventilation of premises. It will dry the rooms and prevent pipes from leaking.
To prevent harmful insects from entering your home, all cracks must be sealed.
It is advisable to constantly ventilate the premises in the house. In hard-to-reach places - pipes, ventilation, baseboards - you need to regularly disinfect them. You can install a mesh on the hood and windows - it will make it difficult for pests to enter the house.
To prevent the two-tail from starting, you should not dry things at home. It is better to do this in air or in dryers. It is also undesirable to store dirty clothes for a long time.
Insects rarely live in areas that are perfectly clean. It is enough to adhere to basic hygiene rules. Excessive humidity should not be allowed in the kitchen. It is better to wash dishes immediately. Leftover food should be thrown away regularly and not left overnight.
For prevention purposes, you can apply gels or crayons where insects were previously noticed. “Mashenka” is valid for up to two months, during which time the two-tailed couples will find new housing.
To create a food shortage for two-tailed birds, you can start eliminating aphids from their favorite food. Lack of food will cause insects to leave.
If all else fails, and the number of double-worts is only growing, you can always call a disinfection service. Specialists will quickly and efficiently help you get rid of double tails in your dacha.
What to do if double tails appear
Taking into account the main condition for the presence of two-way glass in a private house - excess moisture, it is necessary to exclude conditions that contribute to its formation. It is enough to complete the following steps:
- Locate the storm drainage system away from the foundation.
- The boundary around the perimeter of the house should remain dry and clean.
- Clear the area under the floor of debris and rotting debris.
- Avoid leaks at the exit points of sewer and drainage pipes.
Reasons for appearance
To get rid of uninvited guests, you need to eliminate the reason for their appearance. To do this, you need to know where the double tails come from in the house.
They usually appear where there are three main conditions for their comfortable life:
- water;
- high humidity;
- food and other waste residues.
In other words: dampness and dirt are their favorite places. Plant residues, which become humus due to moisture, provide them with nutrition for a long time. Moreover, there should not be a lot of them: ordinary accumulations of dirt in the corners, invisible to the human eye.
When a minimum of moisture gets there, processes occur that attract these pests. Then only proven means of struggle help.
Another source of trouble is holes and cracks, especially in old wooden or private houses. Two-tailed insects can live between ceilings, but do not penetrate into the room. The presence of tiny holes makes it possible for them to move inside.
If these reasons are removed without taking any additional actions to destroy them, the two-tailed birds will disappear. Or rather, they will move to places where there are more comfortable living conditions.
Can double-tailed birds appear in an apartment?
Two-tails can get inside a person’s apartment along with soil for flowers, on vegetables or fruits. The cause of insects can be high humidity conditions in toilets and bathrooms. As a rule, they accumulate in the area of the foundations of wooden houses, and from there they enter apartments through thresholds and window cracks. Residents of the first floors are most at risk from insects.
The fight against double-tailed insects must begin immediately from the moment they are discovered. If you delay, they will increase their numbers through their ability to reproduce quickly.
Methods of dealing with uninvited guests are conventionally divided into: chemical (use of insecticides) and folk.
Why is it dangerous for humans?
The double-tail itself, located in an apartment or house, is not dangerous. However, its appearance suggests that from a hygiene point of view, not all is well. Of course, you can remove pests using modern means, but, as a rule, you first need to eliminate the causes.
That is, restore order, reduce humidity, wipe walls and corners. Otherwise, after a short period of time they will appear again.
There is a myth that the two-tailed earwig is the same as the earwig, which supposedly can penetrate through the ear of a sleeping person into the brain. Scientists say such claims are groundless. There is not a single fact that would confirm this fiction. In addition, they belong to different classes in the classification. Their similarity is limited to 2 tail-like cerci.
How to get rid of bivost chemically
When resorting to the use of chemicals against bivostok, precautions should be taken. During chemical treatment of the room, exclude children and pets from being in it. Use personal protective equipment: cotton-gauze bandages, respirators, safety glasses.
Of the variety of chemical agents against double-east, the most popular ones should be highlighted.
- Aerosol (Dichlorvos, Raptor, and others). Easy to use. It is enough to simply spray the forktail in the area where the forktail gathers. The effect of the drugs lasts 8–10 hours.
- Concentrated (Tarax). A small amount of the substance is diluted in water and then applied to the surface using a spray bottle. The toxic substance forms a kind of film, upon contact with which the pests die.
- Solid (chemical chalk like “Mashenka”). Distributed along skirting boards, thresholds and joints. They are affordable and odorless.
- Solutions (Anti-bug). Destroy various types of insects. Can be used both indoors and outdoors. Highly effective for treating wood surfaces.
As experience in the use of chemicals shows, home treatment should begin in basements and cellars and end at the exit. You should especially carefully check the cracks, cracks, and spaces near the baseboards, where double tails may appear.
After completing all chemical exposure procedures, the room must “stand” for 7–8 hours, then it must be thoroughly ventilated so that the smell disappears. After some time, wet cleaning should be done.
How to find where they are hiding: exploring a private house and apartment
Two-tailed fish move silently and are nocturnal, so they are practically invisible during daylight hours. If you need to find these unwanted neighbors, you need to carefully study their likely habitats.
In vegetable gardens, insects choose dark and damp areas, hiding under bark and leaves. Large accumulations can be observed between stones, near foundations and sewer pipes. Doubletails overwinter under stones and in crevices.
In a residential building, first of all, you need to inspect the rooms where there are washbasins, leaking pipes, and also examine the baseboards, wall joints and dark corners. If woodlice or millipedes have been spotted in the house, then you can look for two-easted birds in the neighborhood, in the same places.
How to remove bivost using folk remedies
If the use of chemicals for some reason seems unattractive or impossible, turn to the help of old recipes passed down among the people.
Garlic and onion broth
Our ancestors noticed that onions and garlic not only improve health, but also help drive the two-east from the house. Finely grate the onion and 2-3 heads of garlic (depending on size). Mix thoroughly until the resulting mixture resembles a paste. Pour boiling water and let the solution sit for no more than a day in a dark place. Spread the prepared infusion around the baseboards, in cracks and corners. After a couple of days, the procedure is repeated.
Horseradish recipe
An equally effective remedy is pureed horseradish root. It is laid out on pieces of paper in places with high humidity. Two-tails do not like the strong aroma of horseradish and will disappear after a couple of days.
Herbal infusion
An infusion of herbs with a strong, persistent aroma is no less effective. It contains lavender, wormwood, and yarrow.
Boric acid
Use boric acid powder; when it enters the forktail’s body, it has a poisonous effect. To attract the insect's attention, many recommend using “Bourne balls”. They are easy to make by rolling them from a mixture of two tablespoons of boric acid and boiled egg yolk. When working with boric acid, be sure to protect your hands with rubber gloves.
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 pest
Before talking about fighting a garden pest, it is necessary to clarify the features of its appearance.
Photos and descriptions of the insect are presented below. Appearance of the double tail
Appearance:
- Two-tailed insects are small insects whose body length ranges from 2 to 5 mm. However, larger specimens can also be found, reaching up to 50 mm.
- The segmented abdomen has no pigmentation.
- Also, arthropods belonging to the order of cryptomaxillary hexapods lack eyes. Their function is replaced by long sensitive whiskers.
The main feature of the two-tailed insect is the claw-shaped outgrowths located on the last link of the insect’s body. Outwardly, they are very reminiscent of forceps, which is why insects are called forceps.
On a note!
Two-easted birds are often confused with earwigs, representatives of the order Leatherwings. However, these individuals are much larger and have a darker color.
