THE GIANT EARWIG

The earwig is a small sized insect
that is found in a variety of habitats
around the world. There are nearly 2,000 different species of
earwig that are found throughout the American, Australian and Eurasian
continents.

The
earwig has a small body size,
that is split into three parts in a similar way to numerous other insect species.
The earwig has sharp pincers on its abdomen and large wings that generally
remain concealed against the body of the earwig. Earwigs are nocturnal animals
that often hide in small, moist crevices during the day, and are active at
night. The earwig is an omnivorous animal
meaning that earwigs will eat almost anything they can find. Earwigs spend most
of their time feeding on a wide variety of other insects
and plants including flowers, fruits and leaves.

Earwigs have a number of natural predators
wherever they
live in the world. Amphibians such as frogs, newts
and toads are among the most common predators of
the earwig along with birds
and other larger insects
such as beetles. Female earwigs lay up to 80 small eggs which hatch within a
couple of weeks. Female earwigs are known to be extremely protective of their
young, often watching over them until they have reached their second moult.