The meaning of the word earwig somehow later evolved to also mean “whisperer” (more appropriate for a harmless little insect), which, if it has anything to whisper to us, would tell about motherhood.
Because earwigs are attracted to damp or moist and dark areas, if you find them in your home that means that they are satisfying this living condition somewhere inside. You may have water damage affecting your home’s structure.
Earwigs inside the house do not cause any harm or destruction. They are an annoyance or nuisance because of their presence. If disturbed, earwigs may produce a noticeable foul odor. Earwigs found inside the house can be swept or picked up and discarded.
For example, birds are often symbolic of the soul, while insect symbology is often associated with change and transformation. Native American mythology sees swarms of insects as a sign of bad luck, but smaller individual insects symbolize meekness and humility — highly revered traits.
While earwigs are known to be a scary looking, anti-social night scavenger, they are a very beneficial insect ecologically speaking. Known as environmental janitors, earwigs will feast on dead and decaying plants and insects. This is great for keeping a garden clean and maintaining the look and feel of the greenery.
Earwigs are attracted to darkness, humidity, moisture, and shelter. When they find ideal locations, they love to dig in (sometimes literally). These factors make them highly-mobile accidental hitchhikers. Like bed bugs, they often make their into different bags or boxes.
Earwigs are attracted to lights. They can become a nuisance on porches and patios on summer evenings. In the morning they will be gathered under things like cushions that were left outside overnight.
Because of their size and the ominous look of their pincers, seeing one or two earwigs in your home does not necessarily signal an infestation. Usually, earwigs enter a home because of a change in weather or when food is scarce outdoors. More often than not, a door is left open and the earwig enters by accident.
Earwigs typically like to stay where it’s cool and damp, so if there’s a dry spell, they could venture indoors to moist environments, like the kitchen, bathroom or laundry area. Though earwigs can get into other parts of the home, it’s not common to have an infestation like you might with other pests.
While these rather unsightly little creatures can be a help in the garden by consuming pests and assisting in breaking down dead material, they can also do some damage. Even in large numbers, while annoying, they present no health hazards.
They’re beneficial in compost piles and as predators because they eat nuisances like aphids, mites, and undesirable nematodes, as well as other insect larvae.
They are small, reddish brown, and oval shaped. You may not see them during the day because they hide in dark places. They tend to bite people when they’re sleeping.
In many cultures, the iconic ladybug, with its spotted red wings, is thought to bring good luck. In the United States, it’s a fortuitous sign if a ladybug lands on you.
Butterflies. Because butterflies are born from a cocoon, they symbolize transformation, strength, vitality, and life.
Ouroboros. The Ouroboros is a symbol of a dragon or a snake eating its tail that has its roots in ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology. The Ouroboros is regarded as a representation of rebirth and death.
Earwigs actually are beneficial insects, most of the time. They’re part of a large group of creatures that are sanitary engineers; they help clean up the environment by feeding on decaying plant material and live and dead insects.
Earwigs do not crawl into human ears to lay their eggs. This is pure superstition. This superstition was believed to be true centuries ago. For example, in 1601, a physician’s manual detailed that putting saliva into the ear can rid the ear of earwigs.
Earwigs are a moisture pest. This means that they love moisture and humidity. This is why, if you have an earwig problem, you will notice that they love to hang out in wet, humid areas such as bathrooms, basements, or laundry rooms.
Despite their name, earwigs won’t crawl into your ears! Their unsettling appearance may make you uneasy, but these nocturnal pests won’t creep near your face at night.
The short answer is yes, earwigs can get into your bed. Earwigs can climb most surfaces, and a bed—particularly with a bedspread or other soft, easily-climbed material—doesn’t pose much of a problem to them.
Boric acid and diatomaceous earth are both organic substances that kill earwigs. Food-grade diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled in the garden, along baseboards, or anywhere else earwigs walk across, but be aware that this substance loses its effectiveness if it gets wet.
Because of their intimidating pincers, or forceps, protruding from the abdomen, earwigs might appear to be a dangerous bug. This is a misconception. Earwigs can use their forceps to grasp onto a finger if agitated, but earwigs do not sting nor are they dangerous. They have no venom, so earwigs are not poisonous.
Although an ancient myth that earwigs burrow through the external auditory canal and eat sleeping persons’ brains is considered unfounded, these bugs sometimes do enter the ear, causing severe ear discomfort.
Earwig nymphs spend spring maturing and emerge near full adulthood in late May or early June. If you see a lot of earwigs in your yard, it might be because a nest hatched nearby. Earwigs remain active through fall, when they mate, build their overwintering nests, and repeat the cycle again.
Most species of earwigs feed on decaying vegetation, such as composting leaves and other decaying plant items found under wet leaves or mulch. Earwigs prefer dark and wet areas. These earwigs also like to live and lay their eggs in these areas.