Weird bug in garlic stems

[Shadylane]

I don't mind most bugs but these are creeping me out. I've been spotting them for a while now on the patio and every time I set about cleaning up the garlic bulbs one appears. I was in the house just now plaiting them (garlic not the bugs) and one crawled out of the crispy stem and scuttled across the dining table EWWW. Then another one appeared minutes later out of another.

I'm guessing they're setting up home in there maybe (don't think they're a pest)but they're well minging. Move too fast to take a pciccie but they're about 2cm long, thin creepy looking, with like crescent moon shaped pinces or something on it's bum. Anyone know what the hell I'm talking about?

[HotStuff]

Earwigs? Or is it something more exotic?

[Shadylane]

Oh dear, yes it's an earwig Thanks for that, can't believe I didn't think of it but for some reason I had a different image of an earwig in me head. Didn't think they had those pinces but just googled and they do. Ewww I HATE those things.
Any idea what the hell they're doing in me garlic stems? do they think it's an ear hole. Ewww sorry I feel like I'm crawling over *shudders*

EDIT: Just done a bit of googling and they like to kip in hollow plant stems apparantley. I guess I woke the chuffs up. *shudders again*

[HotStuff]

Sorry, don't know why they're making home in your Garlic, but I do agree they are one of the creepier things you find in the garden.

[Shadylane]

Maybe they're just snoozing in there, I've seen loads though, never noticed em last year. Still I prefer that to what I found the other week. I chopped into a bulb of garlic and a weird transulcent tiny maggot started crawling across the chopping board. It's really enough to put you off your lunch.

[chris]

We have loads, in dry places too - I gather that they like dry places as by all the methods mentioned here on how to capture and dispose of them (straw in a plant pot upturned, etc)

[binley100]

Last year I kept finding them inbetween the leaves on the sweetcorn husks. Urghhh

[chris]

Aye whenever I shake mine I see them poke their heads out. Dunno if their beneficial dudes or not, but I've left them to it so far...

[Edwardo82]

They are indeed funny things and feed on leaves, flowers, fruits, mold and insects.

Some of it beneficial some of it not however eating mold and insects gets my thumbs up!

Name derived from a myth that they use to burrow into peoples ears! Nice

[vegetable-gardener]

Had lots of earwigs in my lettuces. They do give you the creeps. Just don't fancy chewing into one☺

[SueA]

I think the earwigs are probably just snoozing in the dry leaves, stems & husks on the garlic as they're dry areas, people who grow dahlias have problems with earwigs nibbling the flowers & they usually put upturned pots full of straw on top of canes near their plants & empty them out when the earwigs are sleeping in there.

[taff]

shadylane, tiny maggots, not good....check your bulbs for small holes in the neck/top of the bulb, if you find them, pull your bulb apart to save some cloves otherwise you'll have to throw the bulb away...

[Bountyhunter]

My earwigs must be intelligent.

When i put the patio umbrella up they all fall out into my hair!!

I didn't know they slept in dry places till i read this thread, makes sense i spose...its dry under an umbrella.

I find it impossible to put the umbrella up without my head and body being under it unless someone else wants to do it. lol

[womble]

They ate all my kale earlier on in the year, I went out one night and there was loads on the kale eating all the new leaves. I think I posted it on here.
So I got some takeaway plastic tubs, pierced holes in the sides and put a few mm's of veg oil in it, lid on, caught them all in a couple of nights. Kale is now growing fine.

[Bountyhunter]

Are they attracted to veg oil then?
It would be interesting to see what insects are around your crops in the night. I might give it a go. I could even put one under the patio umbrella.