Moreover, many individuals believed that once the earwig gained access into the human ear, it could bore into the brain. Actually these insects do not crawl into the human ear. Earwigs use their forceps mainly as protective weapons, but they also use them to capture prey.
Earwigs are active at night and hide during the day in cracks and crevices.
They are mainly scavengers and occasionally feed on plants. The eggs are laid in burrows in the ground and most species overwinter as adults. There are twenty-two species of earwigs in the United States, twelve of which have been introduced from other countries. Only four or five species are common pests which invade homes. The European earwig is found throughout much of the United States and is considered one of the most important earwigs since large numbers of them may seek shelter in homes and consequently become a notorious household pest.