Order Dermaptera
COMMON NAME: EARWIGS
The earwigs are small to medium-sized insects usually having four wings. The front pair are like those of beetles but are very short, leaving most of the abdomen exposed. The hind wings fold under the front wings. Earwigs are equipped with a pair of forcep- like organs on the end of the abdomen, which distinguishes them from the Coleoptera, especially the rove beetles, which also have short wing covers. Earwigs have chewing mouthparts and a gradual metamorphosis, the life stages being the egg nymph, and adult. These insects are rarely seen. They live out-of-doors and, for the most part, hide during the daytime under leaves and in cracks in the ground. They come out at night and are sometimes attracted to lights.
Examples
Family Anisolabididae Euborella annulipes (Lucas) - Ring-legged Earwigs Size: 1/2" (12 mm) Habitat: Flourmills and greenhouses. |
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| **most of the images included in these pages are from the 'Insects in Kansas' Book. They are freely available for student and noncommercial use (according to their copyright agreement with each photographer) at the PDIS image site, http://www.pdis.org/default.aspx |
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