This is a line down the centre of the head and thorax along which the cuticle splits when the nymphs moult. However, the nymphs can be distinguished from adults by having only wing buds, simple almost straight undeveloped forceps, and by their ecdysial line. This means that when the nymphs (or larvae) hatch from eggs they resemble the adult form. The earwig lifecycle is an incomplete metamorphosis. They are wingless and their forceps are much smaller than most other earwigs. In some species the male and female may use the forceps to grip each other during copulation.Īn unusual family of earwigs (Arixeniidae) parasitize bats. The forceps are used for defence, catching and carrying prey and sometimes to help unfold the fanlike, membranous hindwing before flight. Predominantly plant eating or predatory species are also known. There are 85 species of Australian earwigs described at present, however it is estimated that there is up to this number again of Australian earwig species yet to be described.Įarwigs are mostly omnivorous eating a wide variety of live and decaying plant and animal material. The Australian fauna includes native and introduced species. DistributionĮarwigs are widely distributed throughout Australia with the highest diversity in the tropics and subtropics. Earwigs are usually nocturnal and attracted to lights at night. HabitatĮarwigs may be found in protected, moist environments in leaf litter and all kinds of debris on the ground, under bark, under stones, between leaves and some even inhabit crevices at the base of tightly packed and overlapping leaves of Pandanus. They come in a range in colours, including: yellow, yellow brown, orange brown, reddish brown, dark brown and black, and sometimes are a combination of these.įemales can be readily distinguished from males as they are usually smaller, have simple forceps and eight visible abdominal (hind-body) segments as opposed to males, which have ten. The large, membranous and semicircular hindwings fold up fan-like under the tegmina and can be unfurled or folded very quickly. The forewings, called 'tegmina', are short and lack veins. The two forcep-like cerci on the end of the abdomen are heavily sclerotised (hardened) and vary in shape and size between species. The abdomen is long, flexible and telescopic (segments of the abdomen may be drawn into one another like a telescope).
They can be winged or wingless, and they have chewing mouthparts. IdentificationĮarwigs have an elongated and flattened or cylindrical body. Another alternative is that 'earwig' is derived from the Anglo Saxon English "eard" meaning soil and 'wicga' meaning insect. There are different ideas as to where the English name 'earwig' comes from, including the mistaken belief that earwigs have a tendency to crawl into a sleeping person's ear, or because the hind wings resemble in shape the human ear.
#ANGRY GIANT EAR WIG SKIN#
The name Dermaptera refers to the thickened leathery forewings and is derived from Greek with "derma" meaning skin and "ptera" meaning wings.
Earwigs are rather cryptic, small to medium sized insects distinguished from other insects by a pair of forcep or pincer-like cerci at the end of the abdomen.
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