Earworm

Biology:

The common earwig is red to chestnut brown in color and its elongated body shape is approx. 10 to 16 mm in size. Characteristic are the pincers at the end of the abdomen, which are larger in the males than in the females. The wings are reduced to short stubs, so that the animals are almost unable to fly. Earwigs normally live in the open, but often enter buildings, especially when they occur en masse. Their activity is concentrated at night, during the day they seek out dark places to hide. Earwigs are omnivores and live on both plant and animal food. Outdoors, they are very useful hunters of aphids and other pests.

Damage:

Earwigs can pose a hygiene problem in food businesses if they seek out hiding places, e.g. in packaging. Various materials and plant parts can be eaten, and they can sometimes become problem pests in ripening grapes and peaches. Their presence in the home causes discomfort and anxiety for many people.

Tip:

Earwigs can be intercepted by offering them hiding places (e.g. flower pots filled with straw) and – if absolutely necessary – fighting them in them. However, such methods are also suitable for attracting earwigs in large numbers to use them as aphid control agents in fruit crops, for example.