BugWise

What do earwigs look like?

An example of an earwig. Photo: G Cassis © Australian Museum.

Earwig. Illustration: A Howells © Australian Museum.

Size:

5 mm - 50 mm in length.

Body:

Column-like or vaguely tear-drop shaped.

Flattened as if pressed from above.

Antennae:

Thread-like, never longer than body.

Eyes:

Large and well separated or very small to absent.

Mouthparts:

For chewing or munching.

Held in front at rest.

Wings:

Two pairs if present.

Forewing hardened, cloudy and without veins; rectangular shaped and so short the abdomen is uncovered.

Hindwing membranous, and partially see-through; larger than forewing and folds like a hand fan.

At rest the wings are held flat to body, meeting at midline, with hindwing hidden.

Limbs:

Six legs, slender.

Tarsi (toes) with three segments.

Abdomen tip:

Two hardened tails modified as forceps.

Where are earwigs found?

• Amongst leaf litter, under bark and rocks, and within crevices or rotting logs.

What do earwigs do?

• They are usually found alone or at most in small numbers.
• When disturbed they run away, in search of cover; they rarely fly.
• They are weak fliers, usually flying for short bursts.
• They feed on decaying plant or animal debris; some will also feed on live plant material and capture live insect prey.
• Most are active during the night.

What looks similar?

• Diplurans (Order Diplura) can be distinguished from earwigs by a lack of eyes, paired ventral appendages under all or most of the abdominal segments and tarsi (toes) with only one segment.
• Rove beetles have small forewings, with large folded and functional wings underneath, but unlike earwigs they lack fully developed forceps.