Earshell/Earwig

Natural Habitat

Moist, dark environments such as mulch, under rocks, garden debris, and occasionally cracks inside homes.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous; feeds on a variety of organic matter including decomposing vegetation, small insects, and occasionally living plant tissue.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal; they use their pincers (cerci) for defense and to help fold their wings. They exhibit maternal care, which is rare for non-social insects.

Risks & Benefits

Beneficial to ecosystems as decomposers and predators of pests like aphids, though they can be minor garden pests and their presence indoors is considered a nuisance. They are not harmful to humans.

Identified on: 4/6/2026