Sometime during the winter or early spring the female lays 25-30 eggs. Males leave the hibernation sites first, and the females follow in late May. You may see your first earwig of the summer by mid-June. In some parts of the country the females enter the soil again to deposit a second set of eggs, but Wisconsin earwigs most likely produce just one generation per year. Unusually wet springs and summers often intensify earwig infestations.
Earwigs eat an omnivorous diet of other insects and plants.
Unfortunately, in gardens they munch on dahlias, marigolds, lettuce, potatoes, and hostas. They will also feed on mosses, lichens, and algae. Earwigs are active at night and hide during the day in almost any dark, confined space, particularly if it is moist. The females turn, lick, and reposition their eggs. They also bring food to the newly hatched young and protect them in the nest.