Earwigs have chewing mouthparts and long flat or cylindrical bodies. Not all species have wings. In winged species the wings actually have to fold up under short, leathery forewings. This is similar to the elytra of beetles, called tegmina in earwigs. A defining feature of earwigs is the pincers (cerci) at the end of their abdomens. They can be curved upwards as a defence mechanism when the earwig is threatened. The pincers are also used to capture and hold prey as well as folding its wings. Females usually have smaller pincers and fewer abdominal segments.
The photo I have taken is the species Elaunon Bipartitus. This native earwig is 18mm long and has pale yellow wing covers (elytra) with a central brown stripe. The young are similar to the adults but paler. Native earwigs are usually solitary.
Another native species (Labidura truncata), is found all over Australia. It is a larger (35 mm) brown earwig, with an orange coloured triangle on its wing casings. The nymphs look the same as the adults but are wingless. It is the most common species.
There is an introduced species, European earwig (Forficula auricularia), which is a pest in crops. This earwig is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa. It has been introduced to North America, Australia and New Zealand. There are often lots of them. They are dark brown in colour, slightly shiny and have pale legs and pincers.
Adult size: 5mm-50mm
