Contrary to popular belief and the urban legend, one summer pest is more interested in your plants than your ears. ISU Extension insect clinician Laura Jesse says earwigs have begun their feast of southeast Iowas plants. Jesse says while there is probably no way to completely rid a yard of earwigs, there are still some methods of containing the bugs. She recommends placing boards or newspapers on the ground and daily collecting the earwigs that gather underneath. Jesse says insecticides should only be a last resort and advises avoiding flowers so as not to harm the helpful pollinating insects.