Stats

Lifespan

1 year

Size

Small

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Europe

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Spines

Status

Uncommon

About

The Western earwig is a small insect that hides under damp stones and garden debris. It uses its curved abdominal pincers to fold its delicate wings into a compact shape.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Dermaptera

Family

Forficulidae

Genus

Forficula

Species

Forficula dentata