Dangerous Earwigs

P.S. - Another 70 More In Photo Below

I keep finding more of these earwigs all around outside, most lately when I edged the lawn. I see them with their pincers usually open in a roughly parallel fashion, but as I freeze them contraction makes the pincers close. And when the sun shines upon them, it shows that their bodies and legs are a little translucent in various shades of brown. Their pincers are shorter, straighter, and sharper, like scissors closing shut, than most other species of earwig. And also, to compare size, in my photos the lines on the paper are one third of an inch apart.

Speculating, it appears to me that it could possibly be that there are three different types of sexes in this species, not unlike some other insects. I think it is probably the females which dominate in numbers and lay quite a few eggs here and there and wherever they choose. And it may be the males that are much smaller and thinner, with or without stubby wings, and with thin pincers. It also might be possible that they communicate with each other through ultrasonic vibrations.

I know that cold air slows them down, and freezing air stops them cold. I also know that they have a difficult time crawling over slick surfaces like the inside of a plastic bag, but they stick very well to textured surfaces like a Kleenex or concrete. And when found they tend to run and look to hide in nooks and crannies, under debris, or even underneath your shoes. You shouldn't ever let one crawl up your nose or into your ear.

P.S. This species also burrows underground or creeps into your house to escape the cold.

And a Few More Words

Surprisingly, lately on the television news I've seen fuzzy images of the likes of their shapes taken during a MRI or CT scan of the brain and of the sinus cavity. Doctors could be misdiagnosing the situation when they call it cancer. Perhaps they should also take scans later on and see if it has moved in any way.

I still find these earwigs outside nearly every time I look for them. The right amount of ultrasonic waves might be able to kill them somehow or drive them away. That might be safer and possibly more effective than radiation or chemotherapy.

Should I care so much and be so concerned? I guess my last word on the subject is that you can do what you want to do, I suppose. And, believe what you want to believe.

Well, Maybe Just One More Look

About 50 More

When the local televised news reads the diseases reported by doctors that are currently going around the area, sinus infections and ear infections usually top the list. But, they never give an explanation as to why that should be.

And when I raked up some dead Holly tree leaves on the end of our back patio on the first full day of summer, I found all these earwigs (photographs below) among the dirt and debris. In about ten minutes I picked up as many as I could from about a six square foot area with my bare fingers and put them in a plastic bag. But, there were some that I didn't get and then later freeze.

I hadn't fully realized how many of these there are around. I hope that perhaps the recent flooding rains have killed some of the others off.

P. S. The scientific name of the family may be Labiidae Dermaptera, I'm not sure.