What are Earwigs?

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated May 27, 2009)

My workspace at work occupies the lobby of our business, and I am virtually alone all day, except for the vendors and co-workers who traverse my area periodically. Thus, I often whistle or hum to myself while I work, knowing that my "music" won't bother anyone. Last week I was whistling tunes from old TV sitcoms and Sara came to speak with me just as I was finishing whistling a stanza of the "The Brady Bunch" theme song. She just glared at me and said, "Thanks for the earwig."

Sara was talking about a tune that gets stuck in your head that you can't seem to shake, and not the insect by the same name. An earwig is menacing-looking insect, with large forcep-like pincers on its end. And, contrary to myth, earwigs do not burrow into your ear canal to lay eggs that will eventually hatch with resulting earwigs feeding from your brain. Perhaps the myth perpetuated from the fact that earwigs are slender, like to hide in moist places, and could actually fit into a moist ear canal. Yet, that is simply a myth.

Here are some actual facts about earwigs:

  • An earwig is dark brown, almost a reddish-brown, with light brown legs, about ˝-inch long and is easily recognized by the pincers at the end of its body.
  • Earwigs can eat live plants and damage field crops, are nocturnal and feed at night, and some species feed from decomposing plant material as well as dead insect carcasses.
  • During daylight, earwigs seek shelter under moist places such as sidewalks, stones, tree bark, woodpiles, mulch, pine straw, wet carpet, and yard debris.
  • Since earwigs are very slender and can flatten their bodies to fit into tight places, they can gain entry to a home through cracks in the foundation, ill-fitting window casings, and holes bored by other insects.
  • Earwigs can become a problem in new construction, building up large populations in new home foundations. They cohabitate with other insects that prefer dark, damp places such as centipedes, millipedes, and roly-poly bugs.
  • The female earwig creates a burrow about three inches below the soil in which to lay her eggs, and can lay up to 60 eggs at a time. Earwigs over-winter in the soil and then hatch, living only one generation.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Which Type of Jeans Look Best on You?

The best jeans have a perfect fit that flatters your specific body type. Once you've determined the best cut of jean, ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Dandruff

Most of us experience dry skin in colder weather, but dandruff can be more than simply an itchy scalp. If you find that ...

Discover More

Recognizing Carpenter Ants

How do you know if your have a carpenter ant infestation? The next time that you see ants foraging about your home, check ...

Discover More

Zap Flying Bugs! Simply press the button and swing. Once the fly, wasp, mosquito, or bug touches the screen it is instantly zapped! Simple to use and totally effective. No cords to tangle; uses only two AA batteries. Check out Executioner Flying Bug Swatter today!

More Pest Tips

Where is the Japanese Beetle Located?

In the United Sates, the destructive Japanese beetle has proliferated all of the states east of the Mississippi River, ...

Discover More

What is a Silverfish?

Silverfish are small nocturnal insects that thrive in humid environments. They thrive on eating sugars and starches found ...

Discover More

Eliminating Earwigs

Follow the tips within this article to eliminate earwigs from your home. If you find that you have a large infestation, ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)