Common European earwig  (Forficula auricularia)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

The earwig is a fascinating species, and is one of the few non-social insects to show dedicated parental care of offspring. After mating, the male departs (3) and the female lays 50-90 white eggs in a nest the ground (5). During the winter she defends the eggs against predators and keeps them free of mould by licking them (3). After the larvae (nymphs) hatch, the female cares for them during the early stages. Earwigs undergo a type of development known as incomplete metamorphosis, in which the nymphs progress through a series of moults. The stages between moults are known as 'instars'. The female will have lost her maternal instinct when the nymphs reach their second instar; if they have not left the nest by this time they risk being eaten by their mother (3).

Earwigs are typically at their most active at night, when they emerge from under refuges such as log piles, stones and crevices in fences to feed on other insects, detritus, fruit and plant matter (5). They fly very rarely, and can be pests, causing damage to flowers (3).

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