Where are Earwig found in the wild?

Earwigs thrive in warm, dry habitats, making sunny gardens and compost piles their favorite places to hang out. You can spot them hiding in decaying leaves or under rocks, where they enjoy feasting on decaying plants and other small insects, helping nature stay balanced.

Earwig

Uncover the tiny gardeners that help keep nature balanced!

The Basics

Scientific Name

Forficula auricularia

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Location

Africa

Average size

0.5 to 0.75 inches long

diet

Decaying plants, aphids, mites

lifespan

1 year

Let’s Explore

Overview

Earwigs are intriguing insects known for their unique appearance and behavior. With a scientific name of Forficula auricularia, these little critters belong to the class Insecta and the order Dermaptera.
Earwigs typically measure between 1.27 to 1.91 centimeters (0.5 to 0.75 inches) long. They boast a pair of pincers at the end of their bodies that often makes them look a bit scary, but these pincers help them defend themselves and catch food.
Earwigs thrive in warm environments and are commonly found in Africa. They enjoy dining on decaying plants, aphids, and mites, which means they help recycle nutrients in their habitats.
These little recyclers have an average lifespan of about one year. Though they might seem shy and secretive, earwigs are quite active at night and love to scurry around in search of food.
Many people believe that earwigs crawl into people's ears, but that is just a myth! These fascinating insects usually prefer dark, moist places to hide during the day, not the human ear!

Where can you find a Earwig in the wild?

What does a Earwig eat?

How big can a Earwig grow?

How long does a Earwig typically live?

What is the conservation status of the Earwig?

What are the main threats to the Earwig?

wowzerful facts

Earwigs are nature's clean-up crew, devouring decaying plants and a variety of small insects, helping to recycle nutrients back into the soil!

These little creatures are nocturnal, which means they love to come out at night, making them the night owls of the insect world!

Despite their pincers looking a bit scary, earwigs use them mainly for defense and grabbing food; they really aren’t out to pinch people.

Earwigs have a unique ability to produce a foul-smelling liquid from special glands, which they use to deter predators. It’s like having a built-in stinky spray!