Earworm, or pinch, is an insect of the order of the leather-winged, not all species can fly, and those that can, do not often do. Insect prefers to settle in a humid environment, mass settlements can be found near wetlands. The earwig is settling near the agricultural land near the dacha plots.
Earwig: pest description
Earwig is nocturnal, hatching in dark corners with a wet environment during the day. This insect is often confused with the dvuvostok, but these are different insects, the dvukhvostok belongs to the order of the maxillary, although outwardly they are similar.
The insect has wings: short front, without veins, leathery; rear wings with membranes, more developed, with many well pronounced veins. During the flight, the earworm ordinary is held vertically, folding the wings, it places them under the fender. Despite the ability to fly, the insect prefers the ground mode of movement. She has quite strong paws consisting of three segments of gray-yellow color. The length of adult individuals is from 12 mm to 17 mm; males, as a rule, are longer than females. 
The structure of the earwig's body is elongated and as if flattened, colored brown on the top and a darker shade on the underside. The shape of the head is heart-shaped, slightly sloping down. The pronotum is located between the trunk and head. Antennae located in front of the head are filiform, long - about two-thirds of the body length. The eyes of the insect are small. At the end of the abdomen at the earwig there are rigid appendages - cerci, resembling forceps or ticks. Despite the frightening look of the earwig thanks to the cerks, she uses them to protect, not attack, and as "tableware" to help keep food.
Did you know? Famous as the place of Napoleon’s imprisonment, St. Helena is home to another celebrity - a giant earwig. In 1798, an insect of 7.5 cm was found. Scientists explain the reasons for such growth by the lack of natural enemies of earwigs.
Features of the earwig life cycle
The type of development of the earwig is called incomplete transformation - for a year the insect lives through all stages of development: an egg, a larva, and an adult. The mating process begins in the fall, the female prepares a place for laying, digs a depression in any wet substrate. This recess also serves as a place where earwigs live in the winter. In winter, the female lays eggs from 30 to 60 pieces. The incubation period lasts from 56 to 85 days, it is interesting that by the end of the egg, absorbing moisture, become two times larger than the original size.
In May, gray larvae appear with a brown tinge about 4.2 mm long. The larvae initially have the same structure as the adults, the only thing that distinguishes them is undeveloped wings, size and color. During the summer, the earwig larva molts four times, changing the skin and color, and by August the individual is already able to mate and produce offspring. The most favorable weather for the development of eggs and larvae is warm and, of course, wet.
Is earwig dangerous?
Earworm, living in the garden, can penetrate into the house in search of food. The insect is small, brisk and able to sneak into any crevice or crack, squeeze through a crevice into a loosely fitting window frame. It is difficult to find it, but it is necessary to get rid of it.
Does a person face danger?
Many are interested in the question: earwig than dangerous to humans. Yes, rather, unpleasant, especially for fastidious people. The well-known myth that the insect is able to climb into the ear, gnaw through the eardrum and eat the brain - this is just a myth. Earwalker will crawl into your ear if you sleep in the garden, putting your ear to the ground. In your bedroom you will not find it, because the feature of earwigs is in the love of high humidity. You can find it in the house in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, in the garage, if it is attached to the house, but not in the bedroom, where it is dry. In addition, the insect bites, only defending itself, if it happened, treat the bite site with an antiseptic. The worst thing that can happen is inflammation, but if you treat, disinfect the wound, then this is unlikely.
Earwig damage in the garden
An earwig insect feeds on all parts of plants that it is able to gnaw. She eats the leaves of plants, leaving holes on them. Insect gnaws the stalks of grassy plants, eats away the pulp in the trunks of trees and shrubs. On the leaves often remain black points of insect excrement. Earwigs representatives often lodge in farm buildings where grain crops are stored, causing damage to the already harvested and stored crops. In apiaries, the insect also harms, crawling into the hives and eating perga and honey. Insect tweezers feed not only above-ground parts of garden and horticultural crops, but also sap roots of fruit and ornamental plants.
Important! When applying organic fertilizer, such as compost, peat or humus, to the greenhouse, be careful, because there may be an earwig.
Can an earwig harm indoor plants?
In the garden, an earwig does not shy away from ornamental plants, such as poppies, asters, pine trees, dahlias and phloxes. When she gets into the house, she will chew on indoor plants with pleasure. An insect gnaws leaves, stalks and roots, a special delicacy for it - tender parts of a flower, for example, pistils.
How to deal with earwig
Earworm multiplies rapidly and carries a danger to plants, insect control is necessary. First of all, you need to remove stubble, hay, firewood or foliage from the plot, everything that hides a moist environment.
Interesting! Earwigs are well protected: firstly, the cerci are long forceps with which the insect bites the offender and also holds the prey. Secondly, the ability to secrete a liquid with a sharp unpleasant odor, some species have glands that spray acidic liquid.
In the garden and in the garden
It is possible to reduce the number of insects during deep digging for the winter. When an earwig is detected in the garden, insect traps will be effective countermeasures. To lure a large number of insects, a couple of boards with wet leaves and rags are left on the plot. After waiting for some time and waiting for the accumulation of insects, they are watered with boiling water. Poisonous baits can be used: wheat bran with an insecticidal preparation should be left next to damaged fruit.
In the room
It is important to know how to deal with earwigs in the house. First, find all the cracks, crevasses and repair them. Carefully inspect all indoor flowers: insects can hide in pots. Inspect the kitchen, bathroom and other areas where it may be wet; check the pipes for leaks. To entice insects, spread used vinegar soaked with vinegar. But vinegar earwig will not kill, but only expel. Then the earwig might come back. How to deal with it to destroy? Spread the bait with insecticides, mixing them with yolk or bran.
Attention! If there are animals and small children in the house, try to find inaccessible places for baits. In the case of a total invasion of insects, it is better to attract the appropriate services.
Earwig: use in the garden
Earwig brings benefits, no matter how strange it may sound after all of the above. Insect, except for plants, eats invertebrates such as aphids and spider mites. It feeds on both adults and larvae and insect remains. As a wolf is considered to be a forest attendant, an earwig can be called a garden attendant. The insect eats everything indiscriminately, including fallen fruits, damaged by birds or cracked overripe, thereby removing the rot from the site.
Unfortunately, harm from earwigs is more than good, especially with such rapid development and the ability to reproduce. Therefore, in order not to be sad about the insect-damaged plants, it is better to take measures to destroy it.
