Earwigs come under the insect category and belong to the order Dermaptera.They are very tiny bugs yet have a scary appearance. The size of an adult earwig is around 0.2-1 in (5-25 mm).Earwigs have two pairs of pincers and wings present on their abdomens that give them a scary look altogether. Pincers are also called forceps and this creature uses them in hunting its prey and also to defend themselves or for protection from various creatures. Earwigs are nocturnal creatures, which means they are the most active at night. They like to eat both insects and plants and are omnivorous. There are various myths associated with these creatures, but the most common one is that they live in the ears of human beings and feed there. While some believe that these insects harm the human brain and a person’s ear too! These types of perceptions make the presence of earwigs anywhere near us or around the house very scary. Many people also compare earwigs to bed bugs. Read on to dispel such myths and fears!You can also read if earwigs go in your ear and if guinea pigs bite in our other articles on our website.What do earwigs look like and do they bite?Earwigs have a slender body and are very small in size, almost invisible by the naked eye. They are flat and are 5-8 in (12.7-20.32 cm) in length.Most of the species are brown or black, but some of them have stripes also on their legs and heads. Some of the adult earwigs even have wings, but they don’t fly very often. One of the most unique features of these bugs is their forceps. Earwigs use them to defend themselves when attacked by any external predators. Earwigs pinch using their cerci. They don’t necessarily bite, but when under threat of serious danger, they get defensive. They don’t try to harm any human being intentionally.Why are there earwigs in my house?Earwigs mainly prefer to live outdoors around moist areas so that they can easily feed in plants and insects.Whenever you spot earwig infestations near or inside your house, it is because of these reasons - either their external environments have become very hot or very cold all of a sudden, your house has various openings which make these earwigs enter your home easily, or maybe your light source is attracting them. As we know that earwigs are nocturnal insects and are very active at night, they get attracted by bright lights and hence try crawling through the windows and doors, or through cracks in the wall and stay hidden. To avoid them crawling into your house, you need to properly check the garage doors or the garbage area in case there are any holes. Their flat and slim bodies allow them to get into spaces even from the smallest cracks. Sometimes, they can enter your house along with some items like newspapers, plants, and firewood. Earwigs lay eggs around the earwig-infested area and then getting rid of these pests becomes quite difficult unless done by pest control professionals.Do earwigs bite or pinch?When you look at an earwig, you will develop the perception of them biting humans, but that is just not the case with them. The strong cerci which these earwigs have are not really used to harm humans by pinching them, unless they feel threatened.Earwigs very rarely pinch humans, and mostly not on purpose. They don’t try to make you a meal for themselves! They can’t harm you even if they want to as the pincers which they have are not very strong and can sometimes break your skin, but not all the time. Additionally, they are not venomous at all. Their pincers can play the role of self-defense mechanism and also help them to attract a potential mate.Are earwigs bite venomous?Earwig bites are not venomous in any way. They may cause mild discomfort but the earwigs’ pinch does not generally cause any long-term problems. You can get rid of them very fast. They heal very easily and quickly by applying boric acid around them.The site of the pinch of an earwig leaves one or two red-colored marks on human skin which are itchy and are at a small distance from each other. There can be a little bleeding too sometimes as they can pierce the skin as well. The discomfort given by them is not very irritating, and you will heal quickly with no serious harm. The earwig bites can often get confused with mosquito bites or those of a spider, but the pinch of the earwig usually leaves no puncture wounds around that site. It is not necessary to go to a doctor immediately if you got an earwig bite. The pinch of these pests is very mild, it’s not like a wound on the skin. There are many immediate cures for its bite such as drying the area and putting an anti-itch ointment, and also applying an ice pack on that area as it burns and swells a lot after the bite of an earwig. Ice helps in reducing the redness and irritation caused by that bite. Hydrogen peroxide and Neosporin are two effective anti-infective and antibiotics which can help in this case. You need to clean the wound with water and then apply hydrogen peroxide to it to avoid further infections.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for whether earwigs bite and if earwigs are dangerous, then why not take a look at facts about where comets come from or where diamonds come from?
Earwigs come under the insect category and belong to the order Dermaptera.
