What is an Earwig? (How to Identify & Get Rid of Earwigs)

Are Earwigs Poisonous or Dangerous?

Well, let’s start by saying that earwigs won’t cause any damage to your body, be it ears or brain. They’re, first and foremost, outdoor insects that turn into invaders only by accident or when seeking shelter in extreme conditions.

Indoor Damage

In addition to not harming people, earwigs also don’t damage property or food. They also don’t reproduce indoors, which makes their presence just a nuisance.

While it’s true that earwigs have distinct pincers (more on this later) that look rather dangerous, those little insects use them mainly for reproduction, hunting food, and defense against predators. They don’t actively use them for attacking humans.

However, an earwig can bite a person if they picked up and provoked the insect. In such a case, the bite is simply a means of self-defense since earwigs don’t feed on blood. So unless you get too close to an earwig, you’re safe from pinches or bites.

That being said, even if you do get bitten by an earwig, you shouldn’t panic because no venom is actually transferred from the bite. The pincers also don’t spread disease.

Moreover, the pinch can rarely break the skin because the pincers are only strong enough to grab onto objects – they can’t squeeze too hard.

An earwig bite leaves behind two red marks that are very close to each other. When you inspect the site of the bite, you shouldn’t be able to see any puncture wounds. The area may become red and swollen, but thankfully, the discomfort is minimal and takes very little time to pass.

Earwigs may also release a certain liquid from their abdomen with a foul-smelling odor, serving as another self-defense mechanism against threats.

Outdoor Damage

The real danger of earwigs isn’t related to people or household properties, instead, the greater threat is to garden plants.

We’ll talk about the diet of earwigs in further detail in a few minutes, but for now, you should know that they feed on a wide variety of leaves, flowers, and vegetables. Earwigs are primarily active from late June to October, and their harmful work as garden pests includes:

• Chewing uneven holes in leaves and flower blossoms of plants such as marigolds, hostas, dahlias, and butterfly bush.
• Possibly attacking corn silk and seedlings.
• If done by a large number, earwigs can damage or kill seedlings and flowering plants.
• Earwig feeding and damage can be often confused with cutworm or even rabbit feeding.
• Earwig feeding may also look like slug feeding. You can tell the difference by observing the presence of a slime trail for slugs, and its absence for earwigs.

If you’re particularly invested in your garden, an earwig infestation isn’t something you should take lightly.

Earwigs are tiny insects that range in size from ¼ inch up to 1 inch long. Their bodies are flat and elongated, with colors varying in shades from pale, light brown with dark marks all the way to reddish-brown or even black.

They have six legs, chewing mouthparts, as well as thread-like antennae of medium length that’s about half of their body length. However, the most unique feature of earwigs is the pair of pincers they got protruding from the back of their abdomen.

The shape of the pincers can give you clues as to what gender a certain earwig is. Male earwigs, in general, possess thick and strongly curved pincers with a wide distance separating them at the base. On the other hand, female earwigs have thin and straight pincers that are close together.

Additionally, earwigs have two pairs of very short wings, where the hind pair is usually tucked under the front wings. Most earwig species are equipped with wings, but not all of them fly. Even the ones that do fly aren’t exactly agile fliers, so they usually do it in short bursts.

As for immature earwigs, also known as nymphs, they look similar to adults but smaller in size and lighter in color. They have slender, straight pincers.

In the United States, there are more than 20 species of earwigs to be found. Here are some pointers to help you identify the 3 most common types of earwigs:

European Earwigs

As you can probably tell by its name, the European earwig species (also known as Forficula auricularia) originates from Europe.

 Although it’s not native to the United States, the European earwig is the most common type of earwigs that people find in their homes across the country. The main attributes of this species include:

• Male earwigs have short, highly curved pincers.
• Female earwigs have longer pincers that are much longer.
• European earwigs have two antennae, each with 14 to 15 segments containing multiple critical sensory organs.
• They’re equipped with wings, yet they rarely fly.
• They enter buildings or households in large numbers which can be very scary despite the absence of real danger.
• The nymphs of European earwigs develop through four stages, and they leave their nests after their first molting.
• The average lifespan of a normal European earwig extends up to 1 year.

Ring-Legged Earwigs

Also not native to the United States, Ring-Legged earwigs (Euborellia annulipes) are widely common to see in southern states and Hawaii. This is actually the most widespread earwig species in Florida. The main attributes of the Ring-Legged species include:

• A long, segmented, and armored body that ranges anywhere between 0.4 inches to 1 inch.
• Their bodies are brown or black along with a bit of brown on their yellow legs.
• Ring-Legged earwigs don’t have wings on their bodies like some of the other species.
• They lay their eggs in the fall to eventually hatch in the spring.
• The nymphs of Ring-Legged earwigs grow faster in warm weather.
• Similar to European earwigs, the Ring-Legged species also enter buildings or households in large numbers.

Striped Earwigs

Otherwise known as Labidura Riparia, striped earwigs are largely found in the southern region of the United States. This species is characterized by their light tan color and modified pincers that look like forceps.

However, the most unique attribute of striped earwigs is the presence of two longitudinal stripes running across their body length with a darker color. Males of the striped species have two penises that they can use interchangeably.

It’s pretty common for normal people to confuse one insect with another, and earwigs are no exception. Among the most common types of insects that earwigs usually get mistaken for are silverfish, cockroaches, and firebrats. Here’s a breakdown of similarities and differences between earwigs and each of these insects.

Earwigs Vs Silverfish

Earwigs are frequently confused with or compared to another tiny insect called silverfish. Both earwigs and silverfish belong to the taxonomic class Insecta, but earwigs are placed in the order Dermaptera while silverfish are placed in the order Thysanura.

Similarities between the two insects include their inclination to exist in a moist environment, as well as being fast and nocturnal. For the most part, both insects aren’t predators, except for some species that feed on small insects.

On the other hand, there are quite a number of differences between earwigs and silverfish to help distinguish between the two insects. These include:

• Earwigs have two thick appendages (pincers) protruding from the tip of the abdomen, opposite to the antennae. However, silverfish have three protruding appendages that are thinner, softer, and hair-like.
• The body of an earwig is hard since it’s made up of chitin, while silverfish have softer bodies with an additional layer of grey scales. If you rub a silverfish on paper, these scales will leave a mark.
• Some species of earwigs are equipped with wings, which means that some earwigs are able to fly (even if they’re not the best at it). However, no species of silverfish has wings, so no silverfish can possibly fly.

Read More: How to Keep Silverfish Away?

Earwigs Vs Cockroaches

The confusion between earwigs and cockroaches is not really due to a significant resemblance in their appearance or behavior, but it’s more because of the fact that both organisms are insects.

To the majority of people, when they see just about any insect inside a house that doesn’t look like an ant, they assume it’s a cockroach. This is the reason why people often mistake earwigs for cockroaches, judging an earwig to be a fast-moving weird roach.

Both insects are part of the phylum Arthropoda owing to their hard shells. They’re also classified under the same class; Insecta, which means that both earwigs and roaches have six legs only. Additionally, we should mention that some cockroach species have wings and are able to fly (just like earwigs, they aren’t good at it).

However, they don’t belong to the same order. Earwigs belong to the order Dermaptera, but cockroaches are part of the order Blattodea. Some of the more evident differences between earwigs and cockroaches include:

• Earwigs have two elongated cerci (pincers) protruding from the tip of the abdomen, opposite to the antennae, that they use for defense, reproduction, or hunting (rare). However, cockroaches have cerci that are shorter and serve as sensory receptors.
• Cockroaches spread diseases while earwigs don’t.
• Earwigs lay their eggs directly into the soil, while roaches lay eggs in special casings.

Read More: When should you call an exterminator for cockroaches?

Earwigs Vs Firebrats

The comparison between earwigs and firebrats is quite similar to the one between earwigs and silverfish. That’s because firebrats and silverfish are closely related, although they’re two different insects.

Similarities between earwigs and firebrats include preferring to thrive in a moist environment, as well as being fast and nocturnal. Both insects like warm areas, and for the most part, both insects aren’t predators (except for some species that feed on small bugs).

As for the differences, here are some key aspects to help distinguish between earwigs and firebrats:

• Earwigs have two thick appendages (pincers) protruding from the tip of the abdomen, opposite to the antennae. But firebrats have three protruding appendages that are long, soft, and thread-like.
• The body of an earwig is hard since it’s made up of chitin, whereas firebrats have softer bodies with an additional layer of grey mottled scales.
• Some species of earwigs are equipped with wings, which means that some earwigs are able to fly (even if they’re not very agile at it). However, no species of firebrats have wings, so no firebrat can possibly fly.