Earwigs have wings but they are rarely used to fly. Earwigs wait for darkness to begin their search for food and shelter. They enjoy dark, moist areas and feed on decaying plant and animal matter. They also cause slug-like damage to leaves, petals, fruit and vegetables. One way to determine if a slug or earwig is the cause of damage is to look for a slimy substance which slugs leave behind.
Earwigs also damage vegetables by entering and enlarging existing holes.
Earwigs can be beneficial in the garden if they can be prevented from damaging vegetables and flowers, and entering the household. It is important to avoid killing earwigs because they are predators of some small insect pests such as aphids. The life cycle of the earwig consists of egg, nymph and adult. In early spring, after overwintering in soil, the female earwig lays up to 60 eggs in the top section of soil. In about seven days, the eggs hatch and nymphs emerge.