Earwig
Forficula auricularia
Role in the garden
Omnivore: a useful beneficial against aphids, but it can also nibble the petals and young leaves of dahlias, clematis and chrysanthemums when populations are high. To be regarded as a “beneficial to watch”. Precious in orchards, where it eats aphids (RHS).
Activity period
May to October
How to attract / manage it
The abdominal pincer (cerci) is harmless to humans, it does not “pierce” any ear despite the legend.
Practical guide
Where to find them
Active at night, hiding by day in dark, damp cavities. Under bark, in upturned pots, insect hotels, folds of leaves. Recognisable: red-brown, with two pincers (cerci) at the rear.
Prevention
TO ATTRACT IT: an upturned pot filled with straw, hung in the apple tree (a classic trap). An insect hotel with a straw compartment. TO LIMIT it in case of excess: move the pot to another area, gather the snail shells and debris where they shelter near sensitive crops.
Sources
- RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) : Earwigs (rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/earwigs)
Favourite plants / resources
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