EARWIGS 



(Order Euplexoptera.) 



These are the insects which are properly known by the ver- 

 nacular name, earwigs. They are so distinct in structure from 

 all other insects that they are now placed in an order by them- 

 selves, although formerly they were considered as belonging to 

 the Orthoptera. They apparently have four wings, but the first 

 pair are horny and small and resemble somewhat the elytra of 

 beetles. The second pair are very curiously folded, but when 

 expanded are almost circular in shape and pos- 

 sess veins which radiate from a common center. 

 The mouth-parts are for biting and the metamor- 

 phoses are incomplete. The most peculiar 

 structure of the earwigs, however, is the pair of 

 forceps at the end of the abdomen. These for- 

 ceps are sometimes very large and when opened 

 give the insect a somewhat terrifying appearance. 

 They are not used, however, as weapons of 

 offense although with some of the earwigs which 

 have wings (by no means all of them are winged) 

 one of the forceps is used to assist in folding the 

 hind wing, with the wingless species no use for Fi g- 236. — Forfi- 

 these forceps has been discovered. Why they ^.s.^Sepl Aerj 

 should have been evolved is a mystery. The 

 name earwig is derived from the general idea amongst unedu- 

 cated people that these insects seek to enter the ears of human 

 beings, causing injury to the sense of hearing. This idea is a 

 very old one and, of course, is totally unfounded, for the earwigs 

 are perfectly harmless. The antiquity of this superstition and 

 the widespread belief in it are evidenced by the fact that these 

 insects have practically the same name in many languages. The 

 Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, French, Portugese and Spanish 

 all give it a name with practically this same meaning. Our own 



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