ORTHOPTERA. 



91 



wing over the distal part of this organ. When the wing is not in 

 use this part is folded in plaits like a fan ; and the wing is folded 

 twice transversely. With other Orthoptera the longitudinal folding 

 extends to the base of the wing, and there is no transverse folding. 

 The tarsi are three-jointed ; and there are no pulvilli between the 

 claws. The most striking character of the family is the form of the 

 cerci, which are horny, and resemble forceps. 



The earwigs are rare in this country, especially in the North. But 

 in Europe they are common, and are often troublesome pests. 

 They are nocturnal, hiding in the day-time among leaves and in all 

 kinds of crevices, and coming out by night. They feed upon the 

 corollas of flowers, fruit, and other vegetable substances. When 

 troublesome, they may be trapped with hollow objects into which 

 they can crawl and hide during the day-time. 



The name of the typical genus, Forficula, 

 is the Latin word for scissors. It was sug- 

 gested by the curious form of the cerci. The 

 common name, earwig, has reference to a 

 widely spread fancy that these insects creep 

 into the ears of sleeping persons. 



Our most common representative of the 

 family is the little earwig, Labia minor. This 

 is a small species; the body measures a little 

 less than 4 mm. (0.15 inch) in length ; the for- 

 ceps of the male, 1.25-2 mm. (0.05-0.08 inch) ; 

 and those of the female slightly less. The 

 head is blackish ; the pronotum is narrower 

 than the head ; and the wings protrude be- 

 yond the tips of the tegmina. 



In 1876 only 13 species of this family were known to occur in 

 the United States. For a tabular synopsis of these by S. H. Scud- 

 der, see Psyche, vol. I. p. 177. 



It is thought by many entomologists that this family should 

 rank as an order; and it is so classed in some of the text-books 

 under the name Dcrmdptera, and in others under the name Euplex- 

 optera. 



Fig. 85.— An Earwig. 



