Earwigs are not always a major pest and actually play a very important role in the garden by feeding on decaying plant material and other insects. However, in early summer, they can favour plants like dahlias, munching on their leaves and flower buds.

Reduce places where earwigs hide

Earwigs are nocturnal, meaning they feed at night and hide during the day. Reducing their hiding places can help limit numbers. They often shelter under stones, in long vegetation, and in dark, damp areas. Keeping the garden tidy by removing leaf litter and rotting plant material will help reduce their daytime hiding spots.

Use simple traps
You can trap earwigs quite easily: 

• One method is to stuff small pots with pea straw or hay and place them upside down on stakes near your dahlias. Earwigs will crawl inside during the day, allowing you to collect and remove them
• Another trick is to make bamboo stake traps, as earwigs like hiding in hollow stems. Push thick, hollow bamboo stakes into the soil beside the plants at night (taking care not to damage roots or tubers). In the morning, gently remove the stakes, tap the earwigs out and dispose of them how you wish. 
• These traps need to be checked regularly to keep numbers down.

There are also commercial earwig traps available from garden centres if you prefer a ready-made option.

Some gardeners have had success using neem oil sprays or neem granules in the soil to discourage earwigs.

Top tip: Slugs and snails also enjoy feeding on dahlias, so applying bait around the base of plants can help protect them as well.