Earwig Information

Order: Dermaptera

Distribution:

• Found throughout the Americas, Eurasia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Characteristics:

• Cerci: Characteristic forceps pincers on the abdomen.
• Wings: Membranous wings folded underneath short forewings; scientific order name “Dermaptera” means “skin wings.”
• Variety: 1,800 species in 12 families; one of the smaller insect orders.
• Flight: Earwigs rarely use their flying ability.

Behavior:

• Nocturnal: Active at night; hide in small, moist crevices during the day.
• Diet: Feed on a wide variety of insects and plants.
• Damage: Commonly blamed for damage to foliage, flowers, and various crops, especially the common earwig Forficula auricularia.

Life Cycle:

• Molts: Undergo five molts in the year before becoming adults.
• Maternal Care: Many species display maternal care, uncommon among insects.
• Offspring Care: Female earwigs may care for their eggs and watch over offspring until their second molt.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Differences in pincer shapes become apparent as nymphs molt.

Etymology:

• Scientific Name: “Dermaptera” is Greek, derived from “dermatos” (skin) and “pteron” (wing), coined by Charles De Geer in 1773.
• Common Name: “Earwig” from Old English “ēare” (ear) and “wicga” (insect).
• Folklore: Name possibly related to the old wives’ tale that earwigs burrowed into human brains through the ear and laid eggs there.

Introduction to North America:

• Common earwig introduced into North America in 1907 from Europe.
• More common in the Southern and Southwestern states