Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Friday, July 23, 2010

Giants Of The Earth?

This one is for Joan at http://saphotographs.blogspot.com/ Joan lives in South Africa and has two amazing blogs, mostly showing the flora and fauna of that beautiful country. Check them out!
I'd never seen them before but they are all around us this summer. They're called earwigs.
Oops wrong picture.
They're creeping crawly things, usually found hiding underneath. Baron's water dish, for example. They slither off at the slightest exposure and also try to sneak into the house.
They reportedly tunnel in thru the ears and nest in the brain. Take my word for it THIS IS A MYTH. They also DO NOT CARRY DISEASE.
With a rear mounted pincher they are scary to look at though. When I saw my first ones, my imagination got the best of me. Thinking they were babies, I recalled similar looking giant creatures in a movie, marauding through the streets of Japan & America, laying waste the countryside.
Size: "1"
Shape: Long, narrow
Color: Dark brown
Legs: 6
Wings: No
Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Earwig
Kindom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Dermaptera
Family: Forficulidae
Species: Forficula auricularia
Earwigs feed on leaves, flowers, fruits, mold and insects.

Mrs T has proposed dousing the house foundation with a pesticide. Being the "Green" member of the family, I've resisted that idea. Earwigs. Harmless, cute little bugs aren't they?

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13 comments:

  1. Roses and LilacsFri Jul 23, 10:21:00 AM

    Cute? TB, it must really be hot up there in Minnesota. Your mind is playing tricks...

    Wonderful photo!!! That made me laugh. Do you remember the old Twilight Zone? They had an episode about earwigs burrowing into someone's ear. What makes you think this is a myth:)
    Marnie

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  2. Lynne at Hasty BrookFri Jul 23, 11:02:00 AM

    NOT CUTE!!
    I know they don't bite or pinch but really they are the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Our yard is crawling with them.
    BLECH!

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  3. MaureenFri Jul 23, 12:35:00 PM

    Oh.my.goodness! The picture of the ear freaked me out when I saw it on my sidebar! Earwigs are a nuisance and I don't use pesticides either. My zinnias are taking a beating, which I willing to sacrifice as long as they stay away from my favorites.

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  4. warriormomFri Jul 23, 01:06:00 PM

    Cute? No, not at all!!! I'm with Mrs. T, although I only resort to a pesticide/fertilizer for my roses ...the indoor earwigs get smushed if I'm fast enough.

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  5. SAPhotographs (Joan)Fri Jul 23, 01:48:00 PM

    My goodness TB, what next? An ear-wig? Next there will be a nose-wig and a finger-wig etc!! LOL!!

    Just kidding!! :)

    What scary looking critters they are. Almost as bad as the one in the pic from the movie but luckily not the same size. :)

    How wonderful of you to do this for me!! Thank you and that is a great pic you took of it. I have always wondered why they are called earwigs as I have never heard of one geting into someones ear?

    I know spraying roses with soapy water keeps the aphids away but I do not know if it will work for the earwigs too but I suppose you could give it a try.

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  6. MontanagirlFri Jul 23, 04:09:00 PM

    Harmless? Not sure about that. Cute? Ah, that would be a no! LOL

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  7. BekkieannFri Jul 23, 09:58:00 PM

    I've always hated earwigs. They move so fast. But they are surely a fact of life around here, too.

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  8. JayneSat Jul 24, 04:52:00 AM

    Our basement is below grade and we get them down there a good bit. Hey, as long as it's not roaches, I can handle just about any bug...lol!

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  9. NCmountainwomanSat Jul 24, 06:56:00 PM

    You may be the only man in the world that could make me laugh at an earwig. And that's only because I'm not there. I am so with Mrs. T on this one. And I am otherwise an intelligent human being and I know all you said about them is true...but I'm still on her side.

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  10. EcoRoverWed Jul 28, 03:44:00 PM

    Poor earwigs. Cute, though, I dunno. But I consider stonefly nymphs to be cute, so why not the brain eaters too? I think the brain eating story gets retold so much just because it's so fun to creep people out--even when told it's NOT true, the very prospect is wonderfully ghoulish.

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  11. truewonderThu Jul 29, 09:14:00 PM

    Here in Maine was the first time I had ever laid eyes on one of those slimy and very quick creatures...so that's an earwig eh? That's just gross, any way you look at it, say it, ew....

    Always learn something here, I have been taking many photos of the wild flowers here too, Jayne has me hooked on birding and will post the many discoveries, in winter time. Summer finds me all too busy, but it is good. Take care Teach.

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  12. JillThu Jan 05, 11:52:00 AM

    I was bit, stung, or pinched by an EARWIG! It’s true :)

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  13. ranubesMon Jun 24, 03:56:00 AM

    Being the *faggot member of the family, I've resisted that idea.

    fix'd. No need for thanks.

    ReplyDelete

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