# How to safely and easily evict earwigs from our mailbox? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067 "2011-08-01T16:40:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/21 "2011-08-01T23:51:14Z")
Earwigs like paper. Put a loosely rolled up newspaper in your mailbox overnight and they’ll crawl inside. Get rid of that then do something to stop them coming back. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/22 "2011-08-02T01:17:49Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Your main problem is with the cancellation of the Shuttle programme. This decrease in available orbital vehicles is resulting in a sharp increase in payload cost. You could find other ways to take care of things, but you’ll never be sure. 😃 Damn. Beat me again. But you’re supposed to wait a few responses, say The Mods… ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/23 "2011-08-02T01:25:09Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > I deliver newspapers to mailboxes here in Finland and I was just wondering about why there’s so many earwigs in several of the mailboxes I deliver to. So if it makes you feel any better you aren’t the only one suffering from this affliction. Actually, it does make me feel better! What I have done so far: brushed out most of the frass, taped a note to the inside of the box door for the mail carriers apologizing for the bugs and explaining that they are why the door is left hanging open, and sprayed the interior sparingly and the underside and wooden bracket liberally with picaridin mosquito repellent. Why repellent and not soap or whatever like I planned? because it was already in a spray bottle by the front door, my husband had a class to teach, the baby has a cold and a bad case of teh cranky, and I was whupped. Will post updates. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/24 "2011-08-02T01:40:11Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 😃 Damn. Beat me again. But you’re supposed to wait a few responses, say The Mods… I would just like to say, with apologies to **Lancia** , who is exactly the sort of innocent bystander that policy is intended to protect, that I think **Rhythmdvl** should really get a pass for that, because it was _perfect_. ---
**Author:** ![DaLongMile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f475e1/32.png) [@DaLongMile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaLongMile)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/25 "2019-10-04T04:10:53Z")
I AM SICK OF THESE MORONIC COMMENTERS WHO DROP THE WHOLE “THEY EAT DECAYING STUFF LEAVE THEM ALONE” ARGUMENT! THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR RATS AND BLOWFLIES! SO NEXT TIME WHEN SOMEONE ASKS “HOW CAN I GET RID OF SOmETHING” DONT REPLY WITH THE USUAL SMUG “WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO”. OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE DO WANT TO GET RID OF THEM OR THEY WOULDNT BE POSTING. IN OUTHER WORDS EITHER OFFER SOMETHING USEFUL WHICH AMSWERS PEOPLES QUESTIONS —- OR —- SHUT UP. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/26 "2019-10-04T04:20:54Z")
> [@DaLongMile](#): > > I AM SICK OF THESE MORONIC COMMENTERS WHO DROP THE WHOLE “THEY EAT DECAYING STUFF LEAVE THEM ALONE” ARGUMENT! > > THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR RATS AND BLOWFLIES! > > SO NEXT TIME WHEN SOMEONE ASKS “HOW CAN I GET RID OF SOmETHING” DONT REPLY WITH THE USUAL SMUG “WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO”. > > OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE DO WANT TO GET RID OF THEM OR THEY WOULDNT BE POSTING. > > IN OUTHER WORDS EITHER OFFER SOMETHING USEFUL WHICH AMSWERS PEOPLES QUESTIONS —- OR —- SHUT UP. Can you elaborate please? ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/27 "2019-10-04T04:50:31Z")
> [@DaLongMile](#): > > I AM SICK OF THESE MORONIC COMMENTERS WHO DROP THE WHOLE “THEY EAT DECAYING STUFF LEAVE THEM ALONE” ARGUMENT! > > THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR RATS AND BLOWFLIES! > > SO NEXT TIME WHEN SOMEONE ASKS “HOW CAN I GET RID OF SOmETHING” DONT REPLY WITH THE USUAL SMUG “WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO”. > > OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE DO WANT TO GET RID OF THEM OR THEY WOULDNT BE POSTING. > > IN OUTHER WORDS EITHER OFFER SOMETHING USEFUL WHICH AMSWERS PEOPLES QUESTIONS —- OR —- SHUT UP. I’m not sure I understand. Are you saying the space shuttle program isn’t pertinent? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/28 "2019-10-04T04:50:49Z")
Damn, what are you trying to do, wake up the dead? Heh. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/29 "2019-10-04T04:55:13Z")
Put a couple of toads in there. The mail carriers will get used to them after the first few heart attacks. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/30 "2019-10-04T05:25:48Z")
“k h a n!!!” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/31 "2019-10-04T05:33:05Z")
Zombie earwigs are the worst. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/32 "2019-10-04T05:34:08Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > “k h a n!!!” “Admiral Kirk…eet was Khan…he put things in our mailbox…made us say teengs…do teengs…” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067/33 "2019-10-04T10:45:31Z")
[Moderating] > [@](#): > > IN OUTHER WORDS EITHER OFFER SOMETHING USEFUL WHICH AMSWERS PEOPLES QUESTIONS —- OR —- SHUT UP. Excellent advice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-safely-and-easily-evict-earwigs-from-our-mailbox/591067.md?page=1)