Earwigs have pincers that can do humans no damage and they do not lay eggs in your ears!
The European Earwig (Forficula auricularia)is common in Britain (UK Distribution), and has been introduced into America by man’s activities. It is a harmless insect, sometimes considered a pest because it can damage plants. There are superstitious beliefs that it likes to crawl into your ear and then either lay its eggs or eat its way through your head! In fact the name ‘earwig’ might simply refer to the shape of the wings.
Wings and Pincers.
Earwig wings are large flimsy structures which are shaped like the human ear. They are kept folded under the very small wing-cases for protection as the earwig wriggles through crevices in the soil. Fitting these large wings into such a small space is difficult and they need to be very intricately folded. In fact they fold up automatically and slip, fan-like, underneath the covers. It is the unfolding that is difficult!
Earwigs have pincer-like structures on the end of their abdomen which are used to unfold the wings. Once unfolded the wings retain their shape until flying is over, when a simple ‘flick’ sends them back to their ‘resting’ state (folded under the wing-cases). The pincers are also used during mating and for defence – like many animal parts they are truly ‘multi-functional’.
Why Fold Your Wings?
Some insects such as butterflies keep their wings out all the time, ready for flight, while others have them folded under hard wing-cases for use only when needed. All insect wings are delicate structures, and the ability to fold them up and protect them lets many groups crawl around in tight spaces. Earwigs have gone to extreme lengths with their folding and have managed to develop a long ‘wiggly’ body that is perfect for creeping through the soil and leaf-litter, while retaining large wings and the ability to fly when occasion demands.
Some Beetles have followed the same evolutionary path. The Devil's Coach-horse Beetle (Staphylinus olens) is a perfect example. It is a ferocious predator that lives on and in the ground hunting other invertebrates and keeps its wings folded under very small covers just like the earwigs. The fact that these two unrelated insects have developed similar shaped bodies reflects the fact that they are both adapted for life in similar habitats. (Interestingly in the case of the Devil’s Coach-horse the wings are ‘resting’ when unfolded and need to be actively folded away when not in use.)
Earwigs have long flexible bodies and wings that fold up automatically when not required. This allows them to crawl into small spaces – but not ears!
Like this? – see what else I have written.
