What Do Earwigs Do?
What earwigs do not do is enter the ears of sleeping people and crawl into their brains: That's superstition. Although they look scary, earwigs are harmless to humans and animals, but if mishandled they may give a slight pinch with their forceps. Does this Spark an idea?
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Description
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According to the University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program, earwigs are "elongate, flattened insects, ranging from light red-brown to black." Earwigs are distinctive because of the forceps-like structures at the ends of their bodies. Males' forceps are of unequal length, strongly curved and larger than those of female earwigs, whose forceps are straight.
Habitat
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Earwigs normally make their homes outdoors. They are mostly seen at night and hide during the daytime. If indoors, they are usually found moving rapidly around baseboards, in basements or crawlspaces. Earwigs are attracted to light and, once indoors, will eat sweet, oily or greasy foods or houseplants.
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Forceps' Use
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According to the University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program, earwigs use their forceps to "defend their nests, capture prey, probe narrow crevices and fold or unfold wings."
Food
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For food, most earwigs eat living or dead plant material and some insects. According to the University of Illinois Extension, when earwigs are numerous, "they may feed on tender plants and may damage lettuce, strawberries, dahlias, marigolds, zinnias and roses."
Life Cycle
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Earwigs develop from egg to adult, gradually, in five stages, according to University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program. Females lay 20 to 50 smooth, oval, light-colored eggs in the upper two to three inches of soil, in spring or autumn.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit european earwig (forficula auricularia) image by Henryk Dybka from Fotolia.com
