156 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



with very fine hairs, and are probably sense organs, pos- 

 sibly giving notice of impending danger from behind. 



Crickets are pugnacious insects amongst their own 

 kind; notwithstanding similarity of habits, however, 

 they are often found inhabiting the same houses as 

 cockroaches. But it seems probable that the steadily 

 advancing armies of the latter insect will, in the course 

 of time, either exterminate them, or compel them to 

 take to an out-door life. This latter they are not 

 averse to doing in the summer time, even now. But 

 from the way in which they hug the kitchen fire, it 

 seems as if artificial warmth is essential for them in 

 the winter. 



The family of British Earwigs is a small one, number- 

 ing at present six species ; no more than two of these, 

 however, are common, and probably most people know 

 only one, which to them therefore ranks as the earwig. 

 This is the insect whose scientific name is Forftcula 

 auricularia, the well-known species which is to be found 

 abundantly everywhere. We will take this common 

 and easily obtained insect as the type of the group, in 

 the hope that our readers will catch one, and follow 

 with us the outline of its form; the deviations of 

 structure which the other species present will then be 

 easily appreciated. The common earwig is so well 

 known that only a few words will be necessary to add 

 accuracy of detail to the rough general idea of its shape 

 and structure that is already in everybody's mind. 



Exclusive of the forceps at the end of the body, 

 which vary considerably in size, the common earwig 

 has a length of about half an inch. It has a flat, 

 rounded, reddish head, carrying a pair of fifteen-jointed 

 antennae, at the base of which, but outside them, are 

 the black, oval, compound eyes, which lie flat and do 



