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#14: Earwigs

From: Nesbit, C. and Nesbit A. (2017) Insecta. teNeues Media GmbH, Kempen. Page 79


 Litinsects #14: Earwigs

Did you ever hear that earwigs will crawl into your ear while you sleep and lay their eggs in your brain? I know I did as a kid. Rest easy, that’s a total old wives’ tale! Let me shed some light on these misunderstood insects

  • Earwigs make up the order DERMAPTERA, which means... anyone? You guessed it, “skin wings”. The forewings are short and leathery, modified into TEGMINA (similar in function to beetle elytra). The hindwings are very thin and fan-like and, although they are capable of flying, they very rarely do

  • Those big pincers on their abdomen are actually modified CERCI, which are paired structures that are usually used as sensory organs. In earwigs, the cerci are modified into forceps-like PINCERS, which can be used either to hold prey, to grasp each other while mating, or for defense

  • In some earwig species, mothers care for their eggs and hatched nymphs. MATERNAL CARE is relatively uncommon in insects and very rare among non-social species!

  • There are about 2,000 species of earwigs so they are one of the smaller groups of insects
  • Most species are 5-20mm in length but the largest, the Australian giant earwig, grows to 50mm!
     
These guys are relatively harmless to humans. So there is actually no reason to fear for your ears!
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