Lyla Lindsey
Australia is home to almost 100 species of earwigs, including several introduced species. The Australian earwig is mostly omnivorous and feeds on a wide variety of live and decaying plant and animal material. They are particularly fond of fruit, vegetables, and field crops, but also eat flowers, leaves, petals, and even other insects. The European earwig, an invasive species in Australia, is considered a pest to gardens and crops, while the native Brown Earwig is beneficial to agriculture as it preys on pests such as the codling moth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet | Omnivorous, eating a wide variety of live and decaying plant and animal material |
| Plant diet | Fruits, vegetables, field crops, flowers, hops, red raspberries, corn crops, clover, dahlias, zinnias, butterfly bush, hollyhock, lettuce, cauliflower, strawberry, blackberry, sunflowers, celery, peaches, plums, grapes, potatoes, roses, seedling beans, beets, corn silk, broadacre crops, horticultural crops, grain, canola, some legume crops |
| Animal diet | Insects such as aphids, caterpillars, bluebottle flies, woolly aphids, plant lice |
| Pest status | The European Earwig is a pest, while the native Brown Earwig is beneficial to gardens and agriculture |
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What You'll Learn
The European earwig is an invasive species in Australia
Australia is home to almost 100 species of earwigs, including several introduced species. One such species is the European earwig (Forficula auricularia), which is native to Europe and has been present in Australia since the mid-1800s. This species is considered invasive in Australia and has established itself in the southern, south-eastern, and south-western regions of the country.
The European earwig is a small insect, typically ranging from 12 to 24mm in length. It has a uniform brown body that is smooth and shiny, with light brown or yellow legs, pincers, and 'shoulders'. The pincers of male earwigs are long and curved, while those of females are almost straight. Both males and females have wings, but they rarely fly and are usually spread by human activity.
European earwigs are omnivores, feeding on a variety of living and dead plant and animal material. They have a broad host range and are known to eat broadacre and horticultural crops, as well as flowers, fruits, and vegetables. In Australia, they have been observed causing significant damage to crops and contaminating grain. They are considered pests, particularly in gardens and agricultural settings.
The European earwig's feeding habits and high population numbers can make them a nuisance. They aggregate in clusters and nests, seeking shelter in dark locations during the day. At night, they become active, feeding on a variety of plants and animals. Their ability to feed on crops and damage young plants makes them a significant concern for farmers and gardeners.
While the European earwig is considered a pest in Australia, it is important to note that not all earwig species are harmful. Some native Australian earwig species, such as the Brown Earwig (Labidura truncata), are beneficial to agriculture as they prey on pests that damage fruit crops.
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Australian earwigs are mostly omnivores
Australia is home to about 60 earwig species, including several introduced species. The two most common species are the native Brown Earwig (Labidura truncata) and the European Earwig (Forficula auricularia). The latter is an invasive species and is widespread throughout southern, south-eastern, and south-western regions of Australia.
Earwigs are among the few non-social insect species that show maternal care. The mother pays close attention to the needs of her eggs, such as warmth and protection. She faithfully defends the eggs from predators and cleans them to protect them from fungi.
The European earwig is extremely polyphagous, eating a range of both living and dead plant and animal material. It is mainly considered a crop pest in Australia, causing significant damage to broadacre and horticultural crops, as well as contaminating grain. However, overseas, it is often considered a beneficial natural enemy of agricultural pests, such as aphids and caterpillars.
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They eat a variety of plants, flowers, and crops
Earwigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal material. They are particularly partial to pollen and can often be seen moving from flower to flower at night to feed. In doing so, they play an important role as pollinators, alongside bees.
Australian earwigs eat a variety of plants, flowers, and crops. The European earwig, for example, has a very broad host range, eating a variety of broadacre and horticultural crops, as well as dead and living plant and animal material. Canola and some legume crops are particularly susceptible to damage from this species. The native Brown Earwig, on the other hand, is regarded as beneficial in the garden as it is known to attack pests such as the Codling Moth.
Earwigs have been known to cause economic losses in fruit and vegetable crops. They particularly like to eat fruit, vegetables, and field crops, but will also go for zinnias, roses, dahlias, and even the roots of seedlings, mosses, and lichens. They have also been known to eat corn silk, damaging the crop.
The common earwig eats a wide variety of plants, including clover, butterfly bush, hollyhock, lettuce, cauliflower, strawberry, blackberry, sunflowers, celery, peaches, plums, grapes, potatoes, roses, seedling beans, beets, and tender grass shoots and roots. They also eat a wide variety of foliage, including the leaves and petals of flowers, hops, red raspberries, and corn crops.
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They also eat insects and other animals
Australian earwigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal material. They are particularly fond of pollen, and can often be seen moving from flower to flower at night to feed. They also eat a wide variety of plants, including the roots of seedlings, mosses, lichens, and crops such as fruit and vegetables. They have been known to cause economic losses in fruit and vegetable crops, including flowers, hops, red raspberries, and corn crops.
The European earwig, an invasive species in Australia, has a very broad host range and eats a variety of horticultural crops, as well as dead and living plant and animal material. They are considered a pest in Australia, but overseas they are often seen as beneficial to agriculture as they eat agricultural pests such as aphids and caterpillars.
Native Australian earwigs, on the other hand, feed mainly on leaf litter and other organic material and are not known to damage crops. They are often solitary and are not found in the high numbers associated with pest populations.
The Australian giant earwig, the largest extant species of earwig, is approximately 50mm long. Despite their fearsome appearance, earwigs are completely harmless to humans.
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They can be pests, but some are beneficial to agriculture
Earwigs are mostly omnivores, eating a wide variety of live and decaying plant and animal material. They are particularly fond of fruit, vegetables, and field crops, but have also been known to eat flowers, including zinnias, roses, and dahlias. They also feast on the roots of seedlings, mosses, and lichens.
While earwigs are generally considered pests, some species are beneficial to agriculture. The European Earwig (Forficula auricularia), for example, is an invasive species in Australia that can become a serious pest of gardens and vegetable crops. It has a very broad host range and eats a variety of broadacre and horticultural crops, as well as dead and living plant and animal material. Canola and some legume crops are particularly susceptible to damage by this species.
On the other hand, the native Brown Earwig (Labidura truncata) is regarded as beneficial in the garden as it is known to attack pests such as the Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae, which is a common pest of fruit crops such as apples, peaches, and pears.
There is also some debate about whether earwigs are harmful or beneficial to crops, as they eat both the foliage and the insects eating such foliage, such as aphids and caterpillars. It would take a large population of earwigs to do considerable damage to crops, and overseas, the European Earwig is often considered a beneficial natural enemy of agricultural pests, particularly in fruit orchards and vineyards.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian earwigs are mostly omnivores, eating a wide variety of live and decaying plant and animal material. Predominantly plant-eating or predatory species are also known.
Plants that Australian earwigs eat include clover, dahlias, zinnias, butterfly bush, hollyhock, lettuce, cauliflower, strawberry, blackberry, sunflowers, celery, peaches, plums, grapes, potatoes, roses, seedling beans, beets, and tender grass shoots and roots.
Australian earwigs have been observed hunting arthropods, including plant lice, bluebottle flies, and woolly aphids.
