THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXI.] MAECH, 1898. [No. 418. 



INTERESTING EARWIGS. 



By W. J. Lucas, B.A. 



(Plate I.) 



Forficula lesnei, Finot. 



Last year Mr. Burr announced that an earwig be had taken 

 on the Warren at Folkestone in September, 1896, and recorded 

 as Forficula pubescens, was not that species. For, after examining 

 a figure of it, M. deBormans had suggested that it should rather 

 be referred to F. lesnei of Finot. A further examination of the 

 insect by Mr. Burr and a comparison of it with Finot's figures 

 and description left no doubt that the Folkestone insect was a 

 true F. lesnei. A specimen has since been taken at Wallingford 

 in Berkshire ; while there is a very old specimen, labelled "King- 

 stone," in the Hope Collection in Oxford. Lately Mr. W. West 

 gave me a specimen, making the fourth to be recorded, which 

 he took in October last while sweeping on the chalk near 

 Reigate in Surrey, at a spot where Ononis was growing pro- 

 fusely. This insect, a male, in good condition, is here figured 

 three times natural size (Plate I. fig. 1). 



F. lesnei has been taken amongst rough grass in September 

 in various places in the north-west of France, while F. pubescens 

 is essentially a south European insect ; consequently it is pos- 

 sible that the specimens of the latter recorded as taken in the 

 Scilly Isles, and at Charmouth, Weymouth, Bonchurch, and 

 Glanvilles Wootton by Messrs. J. C. and C. W. Dale, and at 

 Salisbury by Curtis, may turn out to be F. lesnei also, though, 

 of course, both insects may be present in the South of England. 

 This earwig is no doubt native, and is perhaps not so rare as the 

 small number of recorded captures would make it appear ; for 



ENTOM. MAKCH, 1898. F 



