Earwigs

Earwigs have slender flattened body, bead-like antennae, and are easily recognized by the pair of large pincers (cerci) at the tip of the abdomen. Adult males have 10 abdominal tergites; females, 8. Some are wingless, but in most the fore wings are represented by short leathery covers, under which the hind wings (if present) fold in a unique fan-like fashion leaving a chitinized triangular part exposed.

Earwigs tend to hide under debris during the day and feed at night. They are found mostly in warm climates; very few range far north.

Earwigs feed on plants, organic matter, and other small insects (some are almost exclusively carnivorous). Some are important in controlling soil pests.

Earwigs were thought to crawl into people's ears at night to nest or lay eggs -- an obvious myth, possibly rooted in rare occasions of an earwig accidentally wandering into an ear of someone who slept in a damp place. Earwigs are harmless to people, though they may emit a foul-smelling liquid when disturbed or use their pincers in defense.

Some species often hide in cargo and get easily spread by commerce. Most of our species are non-native, and new ones show up regularly in ports, though few get established.