Earwig
Guides
Anisolabis maritima
maritime earwig, seaside earwig
A cosmopolitan, wingless earwig species found on coastal beaches worldwide. Males possess asymmetrical forceps used for mating, prey capture, and defense. Exhibits notable maternal care behavior, with females guarding eggs and nymphs for up to 28 days and progressively provisioning offspring. Displays complex social dynamics including sex-specific aggression patterns and size-based dominance in shelter competition.
Chelisoches morio
black earwig
Chelisoches morio, commonly known as the black earwig, is a cosmopolitan earwig species in the family Chelisochidae. Adults are uniformly jet black and among the largest earwigs, reaching up to 36 mm in length. The species exhibits extended maternal care, with females guarding eggs and feeding first-instar nymphs before they disperse. Males possess distinctive widely separated, serrated cerci that differ markedly from female morphology. The species has been investigated as a potential biological control agent due to its predatory habits and high consumption rates of agricultural pests.
Doru
Doru is a genus of earwigs in the family Forficulidae, established by Burr in 1907. It belongs to the subfamily Forficulinae and is part of the diverse group of Eudermaptera within the order Dermaptera. The genus has been documented through over 4,900 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is relatively well-observed in nature. Doru species are found within the broader distribution of Forficulidae, which has a cosmopolitan distribution with particular diversity in temperate and tropical regions.
Doru aculeatum
spine-tailed earwig
Doru aculeatum, commonly known as the spine-tailed earwig, is a native North American species in the family Forficulidae. It is the only native earwig species in the northern United States, ranging into southern Canada. The species is notable for the male's distinctive short thornlike spine between the cerci, a feature absent in other regional earwigs. It occurs in wooded and grassy habitats and is frequently attracted to outdoor lights at night.
Doru taeniatum
lined earwig
Doru taeniatum, the lined earwig, is a predaceous earwig species in the family Forficulidae. It is native to the Americas, ranging from North America through Central America to South America. The species has been studied extensively for its potential role in biological control, particularly in maize agroecosystems where it preys on pest lepidopterans including the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). Laboratory studies indicate it is omnivorous, capable of completing development and reproduction on plant pollen or lepidopteran eggs alone, with optimal fitness on mixed or egg-only diets.
Euborellia annulata
ring-legged earwig
Euborellia annulata is a predatory earwig species in the family Anisolabididae, originally described by Fabricius in 1793. It has been extensively studied as a biological control agent, particularly for lepidopteran pests in corn agroecosystems. The species exhibits five nymphal instars, sexual dimorphism in forceps size and predatory behavior, and is known for its aggressive predation on soft-bodied insect larvae and eggs.
Euborellia annulipes
Ring-legged Earwig, Ringlegged Earwig
Euborellia annulipes, commonly known as the ring-legged earwig, is a widespread earwig species in the family Anisolabididae. It has been introduced to many regions worldwide and is recognized as a significant natural biological control agent in agricultural systems, particularly in banana groves and cornfields. The species exhibits notable parental care behavior by females, who remain sedentary to guard eggs and nymphs. Males are more mobile and frequently engage in egg cannibalism, though they can distinguish their own offspring from unrelated eggs and reduce cannibalism accordingly. The species has been studied extensively for its predatory activity against pests including Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) and its response to agricultural management practices.
Euborellia arcanum
Euborellia arcanum is a recently described earwig species (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae) first documented in tropical greenhouses in Germany and Austria. The species is considered alien to Europe, likely introduced from Florida via plants or potting soil, though its native range remains unknown. It was formally described in 2015 based on specimens from Leipzig, Potsdam, and Vienna.
Euborellia cincticollis
African earwig
Euborellia cincticollis is a species of earwig in the family Anisolabididae, commonly known as the African earwig. It has been introduced to California, where its biology has been studied. The species belongs to a genus containing several widespread earwig species, some of which are notable predators in agricultural systems.
Forficula
earwigs
Forficula is the largest genus of earwigs, containing at least 68 species. The genus was established by Linnaeus in 1758 and is native to Afro-Eurasia, primarily Europe, though it now occurs on all continents except Antarctica. The best known species is Forficula auricularia, a common household and agricultural pest that has been introduced to North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Members of this genus exhibit maternal care of eggs and nymphs, a rare trait among insects.
Labia minor
lesser earwig, small earwig
Labia minor is a small earwig species, 4–7 mm in length including pincers, distinguished by its dull yellow-brown to chocolate brown coloration and less shiny appearance compared to the common earwig. It is notable as the first Dermapteran species to have its genome sequenced by the Darwin Tree of Life project. The species exhibits exceptional maternal care behavior, with females guarding eggs and feeding offspring for 1–2 weeks after hatching—a rarity among insects. Unlike many earwigs, it flies frequently and possesses visible hind wings.
Labidura
striped earwigs
Labidura is a genus of earwigs in the family Labiduridae, established by Leach in 1815. The genus includes approximately nine species, with Labidura riparia being the most widespread and cosmopolitan member. Labidura riparia is notable as a predator of agricultural pests, including the Asian corn borer and Mediterranean fruit fly pupae. The Saint Helena earwig (Labidura herculeana), now possibly extinct, was the largest known earwig species. Several Labidura species exhibit subsocial maternal care of eggs and young.
Labidura riparia
shore earwig, tawny earwig, striped earwig, riparian earwig
Labidura riparia is a cosmopolitan earwig species found primarily in tropical to subtropical regions. It exhibits complex subsocial behavior with maternal care of eggs and young. The species is a generalist predator valued for biological pest control, with documented predation on Lepidoptera larvae, insect eggs, and crop pests including the Asian corn borer and Mediterranean fruit fly pupae. Males possess two functional penises but show a 90% preference for the right penis during copulation, a behavioral asymmetry unique among earwigs.
Leptoglossus
leaf-footed bugs
Leptoglossus is a genus of true bugs in the leaf-footed bug family Coreidae, tribe Anisoscelini. Species are characterized by leaflike dilations of the hind tibia, a diagnostic trait of the genus. The genus is distributed throughout the Americas, with some introduced populations in Europe and Asia. Several species are economically significant agricultural pests, notably L. occidentalis, which has become invasive in multiple continents.
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arachidis
Bone-house Earwig
Marava arachidis is a cosmopolitan earwig species in the family Spongiphoridae with probable Indo-Australian origin. It exhibits ovoviviparous reproduction, with females retaining embryos in thin egg envelopes until shortly before hatching. The species has demonstrated predatory capability on tick eggs and larvae in laboratory conditions, suggesting potential as a biological control agent. It is frequently associated with stored organic materials and fennel plants.
Paralabella curvicauda
Curve-tailed earwig
Paralabella curvicauda is a species of earwig in the family Spongiphoridae, characterized by its distinctive curved forceps (cerci) that give the species its name. The species has a broad distribution across the Neotropics, with extensive records throughout Brazil and presence in Africa, Australia, the Caribbean, and Middle America. Like other earwigs, it possesses the typical forceps-like cerci at the abdomen tip and exhibits hemimetabolous development.
Vostox
Vostox is a genus of earwigs established by Burr in 1911, comprising more than 20 described species distributed across the Americas. As members of the family Spongiphoridae, these earwigs are characterized by reduced or absent wings and small body size. The genus is relatively well-documented, with 513 observations recorded on iNaturalist.
Vostox excavatus
Vostox excavatus is a species of earwig in the family Spongiphoridae, described from western Mexico in 1961. It belongs to a genus of small, delicate earwigs often found in arid and semi-arid environments. The species name 'excavatus' refers to a concave or hollowed feature, likely describing a diagnostic morphological character. Records indicate it occurs in Baja California Sur and Sinaloa.