Why are earwigs called earwigs?
If you’ve ever looked at the earwig s head, you may have noticed that it resembles a pair of small, furry ears! This is where the name “earwig” comes from. The word “earwig” is just a shortened form of “ear-wig”, which in turn refers to the appearance of the insect’s ears.
Why are earwigs so fast?
With their two pairs of thick hind legs, earwigs can run at speeds of up to six miles per hour! That’s fast enough to escape almost any predator, and they can even climb up smooth surfaces. To make matters worse, earwigs are masters of disguise, so they often blend in with their surroundings. They can even turn their legs into feelers so they can sense predators. If you ever find yourself in an earwig-infested area, stay away from them.
Why are earwigs so dangerous?
While earwigs are not usually aggressive towards humans, they can still bite and cause a significant amount of pain. Earwigs are known to penetrate through the ear canal if they sense a potential food source. They are also known to bite the skin on the cheeks and hands of people who try to remove them from their bodies. Their bites can cause intense itching and the pain is often worse than a bee or wasp sting. They also cause welts to form which take longer to heal than insect
Why are earwigs so big?
For one thing, earwigs have no teeth, so although they can bite, they can’t chew. Instead, they use the sharp plates on the sides of their mouths to scrape food off plants. And those long, skinny legs? Earwigs have six of them, which helps them move quickly around plants.
Why are earwigs so slimy?
The name “earwig” actually refers to their shape, which is similar to an ear, and the way they move their thin bodies. Although earwigs are not closely related to insects, they are more closely related to spiders than they are to insects. They have eight legs, two pairs of long, sturdy feelers called cerci, and no visible mouthparts. These characteristics make earwigs look a lot like spiders crawling over your ear.