18 Insect Life : Its Why and Wherefore 
For this purpose, and evidently, from the 
position she takes up, not for the purpose 
of imparting warmth, does she brood over 
her eggs. It is rather the thorax of the 
insect than the abdomen which she rests 
upon them. Although judging from the 
way in which the earwig usually rushes 
from cover to cover, it has a distinct dis- 
like to the light, you may expose a female 
earwig to the full rays of the sun and it 
will retain its position of defence. 
Maternal Instincts. — One of the 
splendid characteristics of the earwig is its 
remarkable maternal instincts — for not only 
does she so marvellously tend her eggs, but 
she most carefully looks after her newly- 
hatched young, for we have to bear in 
mind that they differ from some of the 
insect families to which they are closely 
allied, in that their pupae are active — that 
is to say, that when hatched out, the baby 
earwig closely resembles the mature insect, 
except in possessing only rudimentary 
wings, etc. These tender little broods 
need careful guidance and protection, and 
no mother ever nursed her young with 
greater patience and solicitude than does 
