Earwigs Answers to frequently asked questions about earwigs in wells. For a free brochure containing the information on this page, contact the nearest DNR office and request publication number WS-029. The earwig is a brown insect about an inch long and a quarter-inch wide. Even then, it's the bacteria they bring with them, rather than the earwigs themselves, that give humans trouble.
Earwigs are scavengers.
They eat small insects and decaying plant and animal matter. Warm summer weather makes earwigs more active. They may stay active in the fall if they find relatively warm shelter. Earwigs live in damp areas, usually around, underneath or in vegetation. They can also be found in and under piles of wood, lumber and other items stored around building foundations.