The largest earwig measured 8cm but they are perfect garden pest control

'Earwig' is not a name to generate affection. The thought of these creatures nipping through one’s eardrum with their forceps like pincers is the stuff of nightmares. Gardeners know how partial they are to flower petals, especially those prize dahlia blooms, but there is much more to earwigs than their fearsome exterior as Fran Sconce, Entomologist and Royal Entomological Society Outreach Officer explains.

Earwigs are not dangerous, nor are they poisonous or harmful to humans in any way

Earwigs, order Dermaptera, are ‘orthopteroid’ insects and are closely related to grasshoppers, crickets and cockroaches. They are easily recognised by the pincers known as ‘cerci’ at their rear end and are often feared because of their appearance. They are, however, not dangerous, nor are they poisonous or harmful to humans in any way. The cerci, curved in males and straight in females, are there to protect them from natural predators; toads, birds, beetles and bats to name but a few.

Earwigs hide away by day in dark, damp crevices amongst plant debris

One of the most common of our insect-related ‘Old Wives’ Tales’ is that of the earwig crawling into a human ear to lay their eggs. Thankfully this is nothing more than a myth! Earwigs are nocturnal creatures that hide away by day in dark, damp crevices amongst plant debris and log piles. They are much more likely to be found in a loose piece of bark than in an ear canal but the likely origins of its name are probably the source of our aversion.

The Old English word ‘earwicga’ means ‘ear creature’ and is likely to have been attributed to this insect due to the shape of their beautiful, shell-like (and rarely seen) wings. The etymology of the classification Dermaptera similarly derives from the Greek ‘Skin Wings’ and well explains their gossamer-like appearance.

They are much more likely to be found in a loose piece of bark than in an ear canal

There are four native species of earwig in the UK all with slightly different characteristics. The most common of these is Forficula auricularia or European earwig. Three other native UK species are the Labia minor - the Lesser Earwig, the Short-winged Apterygida media and the Forficula lesnei which has small or no wings. All have slight variations in appearance or size. Earwigs, like most insects, have the ability to fly but rarely do so and on those occasions their flights are very short. The rear wings (which are used for flight) fold in such an ingenious way that they can be unfurled at the slightest touch, opening to 15 times their folded surface area, into a strong yet flexible structure. They are then re-folded behind the forewings (which do not fold) with minimum effort and are completely concealed when not in use. Scientists working on satellite and other space-related technology have been inspired by their design and are working on recreating it for larger, commercial applications. (More here.)

Earwigs have the ability to fly but rarely do so

Globally there are only around two thousand species of Dermoptera which makes them a small insect grouping compared to those of moths or beetles which run into the hundreds of thousands.
Perhaps the most surprisingly endearing thing about earwigs is their parental care. The male and female pair-bond in late summer and mate in the autumn. The female will then retain the male sperm until the conditions are favourable for her to lay eggs which she will do so in batches of 50-60 in a nest just below the soil surface from winter to early summer.

In their early lifecycles earwigs are known as ‘wiglets’

When the young hatch from the eggs they look like smaller versions of their parents. Earwigs undergo a simple or ‘incomplete metamorphosis’ in which there is no larval or pupal stage. In their early lifecycles or ‘instar’ stages they are known, delightfully, as ‘wiglets.’ Throughout this stage the mother guards them zealously. She will feed them, lick them to keep them clean and pathogen free, and will even gather them up and move them if they become scattered or threatened by predators. After the final instar growth, the young leave the nest, before the motherly love wears out. Despite her former maternal diligence, she may now even decide to eat them! As a consequence, no long-term social colony forms.

Earwigs will act as the perfect natural enemy to reduce numbers of aphids

Earwigs are omnivorous and feed on all manner of living and decaying plant matter and small invertebrates. Unfortunately, for the gardener, they have a penchant for petals. They will happily chomp their way through our dahlias and chrysanthemums and think nothing of damaging our edibles. Despite this they offer many benefits, contributing to our gardens’ natural ecosystems and, as well as helping to break down decaying plant matter, they are an effective and natural plant pest control. Earwigs in an orchard or amongst fruit trees will act as the perfect natural enemy to reduce numbers of aphids, mites or moth eggs. They are now actively encouraged as an efficient biological control in commercial orchards.

How to control levels of earwigs

If your garden has excessive levels of earwigs they can be controlled responsibly and levels reduced by using homemade traps or shelters. Traditionally gardeners use the upturned flowerpot with straw inside, placed on a stick near the blooms in need of protection. Another effective method is to roll 10cm x 20cm strips of cardboard, tie with string and hang in the problem location overnight. Trapped earwigs can then be moved to locations where they will be most beneficial.

So fear not for your ears, your local earwig is a useful friend. We should not only tolerate them in our gardens, but actively encourage their presence.

Did you know the Royal Entomological Society offers an insect identification service? If you would like to know more about an insect you have discovered in your garden, you can fill out the form on the RES website and one of the RES team will contact you with more information.

EARWIG FACTS

• Earwig wings can fold to become up to 15 times smaller than their full surface area and could inspire new designs of fans and drones. More reading here
• It’s extremely rare that earwigs venture into ears, but many languages have names inspired by ears, French “perce-oreille” (ear piercer) and German “Ohrwurm” (ear worm)

• The St Helena giant earwig was up to 8cm long but since 2014 it has been extinct due to predation by invasive mammals on the island such as rats and mice
• Cavernicolous (cave-dwelling) blind species have been reported in the Hawaiian Islands and in South Africa
• One group of earwigs in Africa are external parasites on giant pouched rats
• Forficula auricularia is invasive in north America, Australia and New Zealand

More fun earwig facts

Further earwig reading

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