ABSTRACT
Diagnosis: L. 4-25+ mm. Body leathery to hard; shape elongate and somewhat flattened; brownish to black in color, sometimes with reddish markings. Except for the grasshoppers, these insects are much harder than those previously described. The antennae are simple, about half the length of the body, with 6 to 15 segments. The mouthparts have mandibles for biting. Some species are wingless, but most have short front wings that do not cover the abdomen; the hind wings fold fanlike beneath the front pair when the insects are at rest. The legs are moderate in size and without specialized features. The abdomens of males (Fig. 13.2) and females (Fig. 13.3) have terminal forceps of different shapes. This dissimilarity is useful for distinguishing the sexes as well as the species. Some female earwigs tend their egg clutches and young larvae in small nests in the ground, from which they repel all intruders including their mates. The eggs are licked almost constantly while the embryo is developing, presumably to prevent the growth of fungus on their surface, although this fact has never really been verified. The young larvae soon stray away and become independent of their mother. Some semisocial activity occurs among the adults during the breeding season. (Fig. 13.1.)
Metamorphosis: Paurometabolous, with egg, larval, and adult stages.
