Order Dermaptera - Earwigs

Classification

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

NB: Dermoptera is a mammalian order

Explanation of Names

Dermaptera De Geer 1773

Dermaptera 'leatherwings'

Earwig is from Old English eár-wicga 'ear-crawler' (folklore claims earwigs creep into human ears)

Numbers

27 spp. in 12 genera of 6 families in our area(1)(2)(3), ~1800 spp. in>200 genera of 11 families worldwide(4)

Overview of our faunaincludes commonly intercepted genera • * –taxa not yet in the guide • classification follows(4)

Order Dermaptera

Suborder Neodermaptera (the only extant suborder)

INFRAORDER EPIDERMAPTERA

Subinfraordinal group Eteodermaptera Group EUDERMAPTERA Superfamily FORFICULOIDEA Family Chelisochidae Subfamily Chelisochinae Chelisoches Family Forficulidae Subfamily Forficulinae Doru · Forficula Subfamily *Neolobophorinae *Neolobophora Subfamily *Skendylinae *Kleter Family Spongiphoridae Subfamily Labiinae Labia · *Paralabella · *Spirolabia Subfamily Spongiphorinae Marava · Vostox Group PLESIODERMAPTERA Superfamily LABIDUROIDEA Family Labiduridae Subfamily Labidurinae Labidura Subinfraordinal group Metadermaptera Superfamily ANISOLABIDOIDEA Family Anisolabididae Subfamily Anisolabidinae Anisolabis · Euborellia · *Gonolabis

INFRAORDER *PROTODERMAPTERA

Size

6‒35 mm sans cerci

Identification

Easily recognized by the pair of large pincers (cerci) at the tip of the abdomen. Adult males have 10 abdominal tergites; females, 8. Some are wingless, but in most the forewings are short leathery covers (tegmina), under which the hind wings (if present) fold in a unique fan-like fashion leaving a chitinized triangular part exposed.

The pincers' shape is highly species-specific in males (asymmetrical in some groups) but quite uniform in females throughout the order.

Key to our genera in (5)

Visual guide

Anisolabididae (=Carcinophoridae)

Forficulidae

Labiduridae

Labiidae

Chelisochidae

Pygidicranidae

Range

Mostly in warm climates; very few range far north

Habitat

tend to hide in cool, dark places during the day and come out at night; some hide under leaves, rocks and other debris; others, under bark, or, in deserts, inside rotting cactus. Winged species often come to lights

Season

Year-round, but often inactive in cold or dry weather.

Food

Plants, organic matter, other insects (some are almost exclusively carnivorous, and many are important in controlling soil pests).

Life Cycle

In later winter or early spring, the female creates a snug chamber in the soil to lay about 50 eggs. She then guards these until they hatch and several days later. The young aggregate through 4-6 molts before appearing above ground for the summer.(6)

metamorphosis simple, antennomeres increasing in number with instar. The mother cares for the eggs and nymphs.

Can have 4-6 larval stages.(7)

Remarks

Earwigs are harmless to people, though they may emit a foul-smelling liquid when disturbed or use their pincers in defense.

Some species often hide in cargo and are spread by commerce. Most of our species are non-native.

Earwigs can squirt their repellent as far as 4 inches.(6)

See Also

Rove beetles (Staphylinidae) can look similar but never have unsegmented movable pinchers

Print References

Internet References

Fact sheets: Meyer (2009) | Day (2011)

Works Cited