L(t, EARWIGS. 
‘‘T found one a short time since in charge of a number of minute 
young ones, which reminded one of a hen and her chicks.’’—(E. P.) 
This careful watch of the Common Earwig over her eggs, and then 
over the newly-hatched young, though not, I believe, often noticed, is 
a long and well-established fact; and though it is rather turning her 
maternal instincts to an unkind account, is a habit which may be very 
thoroughly used for our own benefit by such thorough disturbance of 
surface-soil of infested land, as will scatter the cluster of eggs or the 
newly-hatched progeny broadcast. 
The following communication from Mr. A. Burgum, of Mathews, 
Dymock, Glos., sent on July 17th, regards the probable occupation of 
the Earwigs, then numerous on his Apple trees :— 
““My Apple trees are infested with Earwigs. I do not know 
whether these insects consume any of the Aphides; if they do, I 
should hesitate to destroy them. Iam under the impression they eat 
the Apple-flowers. I fear they do not interfere with any caterpillar 
life.”’—(A. B.) 
From published observations of food naturally preferred by Ear- 
wigs, it is at least very likely that they were feeding on vegetable 
matter. The precise kind could not be told without careful watch, or 
examination of contents. 
Other reports sent only referred to ordinary kinds of depredation ; 
but also included request for information as to the habits and life- 
history of these insects, so as to give a foundation for methods of 
dealing with them. 
Lire-nistory.—LHarly in the year the female Earwig lays (under 
stones, or in a hole in the ground, or amongst dry leaves, or the like 
places, but always in some concealed spot) a little collection of from 
fifteen to twenty yellowish eggs, by which she remains, or sits upon 
them, and collects them together again if scattered abroad.* 
After the lapse of about a month the young Earwigs hatch ; but 
still for a while the mother EHarwig remains by her white wingless 
progeny, ‘“‘like a hen by her chickens.” The young, which soon 
become brown, are very like the full-grown insects in shape, excepting 
that for some time they have neither wings nor wing-cases; after 
several moults, the shape of the wings shows, and at the last moult, 
which is towards the end of August, the Earwig takes its perfect 
condition of male or female, with wings and all parts complete. 
Earwigs are well known by their narrow long shape, with the tail 
ending in a pair of forceps (see figures, p. 69). The Forjicula auricu- 
laria, our commonest kind, is distinguishable in the males (see fig. 1, 
* For notes of personal observation of this singular habit see ‘Mémoires’ of 
De Geer, vol. iii. p. 548; also of his own observation of it by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg 
in his ‘ Praktische Insektenkunde,’ pt. iv. p. 188. 
