Hobbies And Interests
Identification
Earwigs can grow to an inch and a quarter in length. They have flattened bodies that are elongated and possess a rugged but shiny covering on their bodies. The earwig's antennae are half as long as its body and they have noticeable pincers at the very end of their body. The pair on the male are larger and curved as opposed to the female's, which are shorter and straighter. The adult earwig has small wings. Earwigs are a reddish-brown color.
Time Frame
The earwig has a life span of only one year. In the winter they can be found hiding just below the surface of the dirt, often close to the foundation of a home. The warmer months coax them out of hiding and in the spring the female will lay up to 60 eggs in a nest in the top few inches of the soil. The mother looks after the young earwigs for the first two weeks of their life before they take off on their own. Earwigs shed their skin four times before finally achieving adulthood, which takes about 70 days. 20 percent of the females will lay another bunch of eggs in June, which come to fruition in July and August.
Function
Although the pincers that earwigs possess look to be formidable, they are used strictly for defense by the females, who will protect their eggs and then young from potential predators with them. The male earwigs will use their pincers to battle with other insects and they are also a large part of the courtship ritual as they try to impress the female earwigs.
Considerations
When it is daytime an earwig will hide out in a dark and cool place, preferably one that is moist. This makes laundry that has been hung out to dry a favorite habitat. Towels left out by pools will also attract earwigs. At dusk they get on the move in search of food, which consists of decaying plants matter, living plants, and other insects. Earwigs can crawl into the smallest crevice because of their flattened bodies and can wind up inside a home.
Misconceptions
This insect gets its name for something that it has never done. The common superstition was that an earwig would willingly find someone who was fast asleep and then nimbly crawl into the individual's ear and begin to bore into their brain. This was widely believed to be true in Europe during ancient times but it is totally unfounded. However, the name they were given, earwig, stuck with them.