Forest earwig

The forest earwig (Apterygidia media) belongs to the order Dermaptera, known for their distinctive forceps-like appendages at the end of the abdomen. These insects are medium-sized and possess a dark brown body that blends perfectly with forest floor debris.

The primary diagnostic feature is the shape of the cerci in males, which are curved. Unlike the common earwig, this species is more associated with wooded habitats, parks, and shaded areas where humidity levels remain relatively high throughout the summer.

Earwigs are nocturnal insects that prefer to spend daylight hours in narrow, dark spaces such as cracks in tree bark, under loose stones, or within dense piles of decaying plant material to avoid desiccation.

The life cycle involves incomplete metamorphosis. Females demonstrate remarkable maternal care, staying with their eggs and guarding the nymphs until they reach a certain stage of development, which ensures high survival rates for the offspring.

There is typically one generation per year. Development starts in early spring, as rising soil temperatures trigger the hatching process and encourage the nymphs to seek out their first food sources.

As a generalist herbivore (polyphage), the forest earwig feeds on a wide range of plant materials. In garden environments, they can cause significant damage to both foliage and the reproductive parts of various ornamental and vegetable crops.

The damage often manifests as irregular holes in leaves, where the insect has chewed through the tissue. During heavy infestations, they can strip entire leaves, leaving only the primary veins, which stunts the plant's growth.

They are particularly problematic for developing fruits and flowers. By feeding on the petals and buds, they prevent normal flowering and fertilization, leading to a direct reduction in the potential harvest of berries or fruit-bearing trees.

Once fruits begin to ripen, earwigs frequently burrow into the soft tissue, causing decay and inviting secondary infections from mold and bacteria. This renders the produce unmarketable and susceptible to rapid rotting.

In vegetable gardens, leafy greens like lettuce and spinach are especially vulnerable to earwig attacks, especially during dry spells when the insects seek out moisture-rich plant tissues to sustain themselves.

The most common sign of an earwig presence is the appearance of shredded or jagged holes in plant leaves. Unlike slug damage, which is often slime-covered, earwig damage is clean but visually distinct due to the irregular biting patterns.

Small, dark, pellet-like droppings left near the chewed areas indicate the recent activity of these insects. These deposits are often found in the crevices of leaves or on the surface of the fruit they are currently consuming.

Finding groups of insects hiding in tight, dark spaces such as curled leaves, corrugated cardboard, or wooden debris during the day is a clear indication that a population is established in the vicinity.

In the case of flowering plants, deformed blossoms that fail to open properly are often a result of earwigs feeding on the inner tissues while the bud is still developing, which is a major signal for the gardener.

Monitoring the garden at night with a flashlight will often reveal adult earwigs actively roaming on stems and foliage, confirming their presence and the necessity of immediate control measures.

Sanitation is the most effective preventative strategy. Removing piles of garden debris, old timber, and excess mulch from near sensitive crops deprives earwigs of their daytime shelters and makes the area less hospitable for them.

Trapping is a highly recommended non-chemical control method. Rolling up dampened corrugated cardboard or using pieces of hose and placing them in the garden at dusk will attract the insects, allowing for easy collection and destruction the following morning.

In cases where infestations are severe, insecticides registered for garden use can be applied. For best results, treatments should be targeted at the insects' hiding places and applied in the late afternoon or evening when they start foraging.

Promoting a healthy ecosystem by encouraging natural predators, such as birds, toads, and ground beetles, helps keep earwig populations at a manageable level without the need for synthetic chemical intervention.

• Remove decaying organic matter and debris.
• Use physical traps like damp cardboard or tubes.
• Apply sticky barriers on tree trunks.
• Encourage biodiversity to attract natural insect predators.