The earwig, Forficula auricularia, has been subject of malicious rumour for centuries – the claim that they burrow into your ear and eat your brains.
In reality, they hide in dark places, away from predators, and come out at night to feed. During the autumn, they are often seen in daylight tumbling out of hideaways around the stalks of apples as the fruit is picked.
Earwigs do have a formidable pair of forceps, known as cerci, which can nip the unwary, but their real purpose is for combat with other earwigs and in mating rituals.
In some places, notably North America, where the European earwig has been introduced, they are regarded as pests. However, in the UK earwigs are generally thought of as beneficial because they dine on aphids and other insects, as well as eating plant matter.
Earwigs also have endearing features because, unlike almost all other insects, they care for their young, or at least the females do. In October, the males get thrown out of the nest after mating and usually meet a premature death.
Meanwhile the females lay eggs in shallow burrows and tend them for two months, turning them to prevent mould, and then feeding and protecting the young until they are old enough to fend for themselves.
