An earwig is a slender, reddish-brown insect about 3/4 inch long with a pair of pincers (forceps) at the tail end. Earwigs can pinch if they are trapped or handled, but they have no venom, don’t sting, spread no disease and are harmless to people. They come out at night, hide in damp spots by day and move indoors when it gets too dry, hot or cold outside.
| Scientific order | Dermaptera (about 2,000 species worldwide) |
| Most common species | European earwig, Forficula auricularia |
| Size | About 5 to 25 mm; the European earwig is about 3/4 inch |
| Color | Reddish-brown to dark brown, lighter legs |
| Do they bite? | They pinch when trapped; not venomous |
| Active | At night |
| Eat | Aphids and other small insects, decaying plants, seedlings and soft fruit |
| Lifespan | About one year |
Table of Contents
What Does an Earwig Look Like?
- Body: long, flat and glossy, with six legs and thin, bead-like antennae about half the body length.
- Pincers: a pair of forceps (cerci) at the end of the abdomen. Males have large, curved pincers; females have straighter ones that nearly meet.
- Wings: many species have short, leathery front wings covering large, fan-folded hind wings. Most earwigs rarely fly.
- Color: reddish-brown to almost black, often with yellowish legs.
Earwigs are sometimes confused with rove beetles and silverfish. Rove beetles have short wing covers but no pincers; silverfish are gray, scaly and have three thin tail bristles instead of forceps.
Do Earwigs Bite or Pinch?
Earwigs don’t bite in the usual sense. They use their pincers to defend themselves, catch prey and in courtship, and they will pinch a finger if you pick one up or sit on it. The pinch can sting for a moment and may leave a red mark, but it rarely breaks the skin and carries no venom. See earwig bites for symptoms and first aid.
Do Earwigs Crawl Into Ears?
The name comes from an old belief that earwigs crawl into sleeping people’s ears and burrow into the brain. They don’t target ears and can’t reach the brain. Like any small insect that seeks dark, tight spaces, one can wander into an ear on rare occasions. If that happens, read earwig in ear for safe removal steps.
The word “earwig” comes from Old English ēare (ear) and wicga (insect or beetle). Another theory links the name to the hind wing, which looks like a human ear when unfolded.
Common Types of Earwigs
| Type | Look | Where found |
|---|---|---|
| European earwig | Reddish-brown, about 3/4 inch, curved pincers in males; the one most people see | Throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia |
| Ring-legged earwig | Dark brown to black, wingless, pale bands on the legs | Warm regions, often indoors and in greenhouses |
| Striped (shore) earwig | Pale tan with dark stripes, up to about 1 inch | Sandy soils and coasts in warm areas |
| Maritime earwig | Dark, wingless, stout pincers | Seashores, under rocks and drift |
Where Earwigs Live and Why They Come Inside
Earwigs need dark, cool, damp hiding places: under mulch, leaf litter, boards, stones, flower pots and dense ground cover. They come out at night to feed. They move into houses, basements, bathrooms and kitchens when outdoor conditions turn too dry, hot or cold, or after heavy rain floods their shelters. Indoors they don’t breed or cause damage, and they usually die within days without moisture.
What Do Earwigs Eat?
Earwigs eat almost anything. They are useful predators of aphids, mites and insect eggs, and they clean up decaying plant matter. They also chew seedlings, flowers such as dahlias and marigolds, lettuce, corn silk, and soft fruit like strawberries and apricots, leaving ragged holes in leaves.
Earwig Life Cycle
Earwigs mate in fall and the female spends winter in an underground chamber, where she lays 30 or more eggs. Unusually for insects, she guards the eggs, cleans them and feeds the young nymphs. Nymphs look like small, pale adults and molt four to five times before becoming adults in summer. There is usually one generation a year, though females can produce a second brood.
Are Earwigs Dangerous?
No. Earwigs pose no health hazard to people or pets, aren’t poisonous and don’t spread disease. A pet that eats one will be fine. The main problems are garden damage and the nuisance of finding them indoors.
How to Get Rid of Earwigs
- Trap them: roll up damp newspaper or set out shallow cans with a little vegetable oil overnight, then empty them each morning.
- Remove hiding places: pull mulch, leaves and boards back from the foundation.
- Dry things out: fix leaks, use a dehumidifier in basements and switch to drip irrigation.
- Seal entry points around doors, windows and utility lines.
- Use baits containing spinosad in garden beds if trapping isn’t enough.
Full step-by-step methods are in how to get rid of earwigs.
Earwig control products
- Earwig traps for garden beds and patios
- Spinosad bait for heavy garden populations
- Dehumidifier to dry out basements and crawl spaces
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Earwig FAQs
No. Earwigs can pinch if trapped or handled, but they have no venom, don’t sting and don’t spread disease.
Earwigs come inside when outdoor conditions get too dry, hot or cold, or after heavy rain. Damp areas like basements, bathrooms and kitchens attract them.
Rarely. Earwigs don’t seek out ears, but like other small insects that hide in tight spaces, one can occasionally wander into an ear. They can’t reach the brain.
Earwigs eat aphids and other small insects, decaying plants, seedlings, flowers, corn silk and soft fruit.
Earwigs live about one year. Most species have one generation a year, with young hatching in spring and becoming adults by summer.
Sources
Facts in this guide are checked against the sources above and reviewed when they change. See how we research in our editorial policy.
More earwig guides
- Do earwigs bite? Symptoms and treatment
- Earwig in ear: symptoms and removal
- How to get rid of earwigs in the house and garden