Are Earwigs Dangerous?
Many people who are familiar with the original Star Trek films will remember that in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Khan deposited two fearsome-looking insects with pincers into the ears of two officers from the Starship Enterprise to torture them. Earwigs, which resemble those insects, present no such danger to humans. People who tell stories of earwigs getting into our ears, laying eggs and entering our brains are passing down bizarre folklore learned generations ago. Does this Spark an idea?
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Background
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The earwig gets its name from the misconception of it crawling into human ears. Earwigs are not known to be aggressive toward people. North America has 22 species of earwigs. It is believed that over half are native to Europe and the tropics. Earwigs appear to be dangerous because of the intimidating pincers that protrude from the rear of their bodies; however, the pincers are really a defense mechanism, a courting device and a reproductive tool.
No Danger to Humans
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The pincers on an earwig contain no venom or poison. They may be used to hunt smaller insects, though these species of earwigs are less common than those that feed on vegetation. Earwigs may use their pincers to grip onto human skin. If the pincers break the skin, there is no chance of ingesting poison or having an allergic reaction. But the cut should be treated like any other scratch to prevent infection.
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Earwigs in the Home
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Earwigs may inadvertently be brought into our living spaces. They can be transported into the home on pieces of firewood that have been stored outside. They like to hide in cracks and crevices or any other dark places where they can lay their eggs. Food canisters and partially opened packages of dry food should be kept tightly sealed. Though earwigs are not harmful to humans, finding a cluster of them near food makes most people queasy.
An Earwig's Life
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The only things that earwigs can be considered dangerous to are plants and select smaller insects. Most earwigs feed on decaying vegetation and ground clutter. Earwigs like the dark, wet areas of mulch just below plant leaves. They scurry away when their living environment is disturbed. When they migrate indoors they can be a nuisance, and because of their misquoted reputation, many people just find them frightening.
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References
Resources
- "Earwig"; Stephanie St. Pierre; 2008
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
