Earwig

The ear myth

The folk tale that earwigs crawl into sleeping people’s ears and burrow into their brains is almost entirely false. Earwigs are not attracted to ears, do not seek out human heads, and lack any biological mechanism for burrowing into brain tissue. The very rare cases of an earwig found in a human ear are accidents — the same dark, crevice-shaped hiding spot that suits an earwig anywhere also suits an ear. They don’t go further.

The name predates English by centuries. In German, Ohrwurm; in French, perce-oreille; in Latin, auricularia — the species name. Some etymologists suggest the name actually refers to the wing shape (which resembles a human ear) rather than to ear-crawling. But the folk myth persists.

Why the pincers

The dramatic-looking forceps at an earwig’s rear (called cerci) serve several functions:

• Defense — pinching attacking ants, spiders, or other insects.
• Mate competition — males joust with the cerci over females.
• Wing folding — the cerci help unfold and refold the unusually compact rear wings.

Despite the menacing appearance, an earwig pinch on human skin is surprising but minor — slightly stronger than a paper cut. The cerci aren’t venomous and rarely break skin.

Hidden wings

Earwigs have a remarkable wing-folding system. Their hindwings — the actual flight wings — are folded into a compact, layered package about 1/40th of their unfolded area, tucked under tiny leathery forewings. Few earwigs actually fly often — most live their lives on the ground — but the wings are there, packed away with origami precision.

The folding system has been studied by aerospace engineers as a model for compact deployable structures (think satellite solar panels, rover instruments). The earwig’s design uses passive elastic forces rather than active mechanical control, making it potentially valuable for unpowered systems.

A devoted mother

Among the few insects that exhibit maternal care, the female earwig is exceptionally attentive:

• Lays a clutch of 30–80 eggs in a burrow in moist soil.
• Cleans each egg regularly, removing fungal spores by mouth.
• Defends the clutch against predators and parasitoids.
• After hatching, continues to feed and protect the nymphs through their first molt.
• Some females stay with the brood until the second instar.

This level of parental investment is unusual among insects, found only in a few groups (some bees, wasps, beetles, and termites). Most insects abandon their eggs immediately after laying.

Garden status

European earwigs are mild garden pests, eating tender plant tissue (especially seedlings, dahlias, and ripening soft fruit) — but they also eat aphids, mites, and other small pests, so they’re partially beneficial. The damage they cause is rarely severe.

When earwig populations are high, traps work well: rolled-up newspaper or short pieces of garden hose left in damp areas overnight attract dozens of earwigs that can then be relocated or destroyed.