Lesser Earwig
Sandy found this tiny insect crawling on the counter, near our fruit basket (apples, bananas, and such) on February 13, 2013. It was only a few millimeters long, and it was hard to see details with the naked eye, but the camera did better.
I had thought it was a rove beetle at first, but the pictures clearly showed the forceps (“pincers”) at the end of the abdomen, which means it was actually an earwig. I’m pretty sure that this specimen is a female, based on the shape of the forceps.
But, this is not one of the much larger European Earwigs that we so commonly see around here these days. No, this is a different one – the Lesser Earwig, Labia minor.
I’m pretty comfortable with this identification, because there are evidently only three earwig species known to live in Michigan, and this is one of them (and the other two are both way bigger, with a significantly different appearance). This is sometimes considered to be a native species, because they have lived in the state for as long as anybody has been looking. But, there is some argument about this, because this is one of those species that can live well in and around human habitations, and so it is likely to follow us. At any rate, they are found all around the world these days.
They aren’t as “pesty” as the European earwigs, mainly because of their much smaller size making them much less noticeable. They commonly live in potted plant soil, feeding on fungus, fungus gnat larvae, and the like, and also are found in compost and manure piles. I expect they are one of the species that can be found easily under rocks, but are easier to spot with a magnifying glass than with the naked eye.
And, in answer to the perennial question, “do earwigs fly?”, here is a video shot in Wales by “jonesforward” of a lesser earwig taking flight. It uses its forceps to drag out and fluff up its wings, and then flies off!
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Re: Video
Soundtrack: The flying earwig techno suite
Earwigs. They’re all lesser to me.
Had no idea they could fly.
I came upon a mother earwig caring for her young once and have had an appreciation for them ever since.
ct
Sandy: yes, the soundtrack on that video is a bit much. If I ever get the chance to video an earwig taking flight, I hope I’ll have the common decency to make it a silent animated GIF.
Although, I could always use the song that Rosie was composing to herself in the pantry this morning (to the tune of “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”)
“Earwigs, earwigs, where are you?
Earwigs, earwigs, coming soon!”
(the scansion isn’t bad for something by a 4-year-old. Maybe we could come up with a better rhyme, though)
Foreceps? Seems like they should be called aftceps.