2 14 ORTHOPTERA 



itself in places where there is only a small crevice for entry, and 

 it is possible that its presence in fruits is clue to this, rather than 

 to any special fondness for the sweets. This habit of concealing 

 itself in chinks and crannies in obscure places makes it an easy 

 matter to trap the Insect by placing pieces of hollow stalks in 

 the situations it affects ; inverted flower-pots with a little hay, 

 straw, or paper at the top are also effectual traps. We have 

 remarked that it is very rarely seen on the wing, and though it 

 has been supposed to fly more freely at night there is very little 

 evidence of the fact. Another British species, Labia minor, a 

 smaller Insect, is, however, very commonly seen flying. 



Earwigs have the reputation of being fond of their young, and 

 Camerano describes the female of the common earwig as carefully 

 collecting its eggs when scattered, lifting them with its mandibles 

 and placing them in a heap over which it afterwards brooded. 

 De Geer ^ more than a century ago observed a fondness of the 

 mother for the young. After the eggs were hatched, Canierano's 

 individual, however, evinced no interest in the young. A larger 

 species, Lahidvra riparia (Fig. 110) is said to move its eggs from 

 place to place, so as to keep them in situations favourable for 

 their development. 



The name " earwig " is said to be due to an idea that these 

 creatures are fond of penetrating into the ears of persons when 

 asleep. Hence these Insects were formerly much dreaded, owing 

 to a fear that they might penetrate even to the brain. There 

 does not appear to be on record any occurrence that could justify 

 such a dread, or the belief that they enter the ears. If they 

 do not do so, it is certainly a curious fact that a superstition of 

 the kind we have mentioned occurs in almost every country 

 where the common earwig is abundant ; for it has, in most 

 parts of Europe, a popular name indicating the prevalence of 

 some such idea. It is known as Oliren-vmrm in German, as 

 perce-oreille in Prench, and so on. The expanded wing of the 

 earwig is in shape so very like the human ear, that one is 

 tempted to suppose this resemblance may in former ages have 

 given rise to the notion that the earwig has some connexion with 

 the human ear ; but this explanation is rendered very improbable 

 by the fact that the earwig is scarcely ever seen with its wings 

 expanded, and that it is a most difficult matter to unfold them 

 ' Mem. hist. Insedcs, iii. 1773, p. 548. 



