Size

12 to 20 mm

Colour

Brown

Where you'll find them

These insects mainly dwell outdoors in the soil and under paving slabs, occasionally entering dwelling houses.

Biology

The female lays anything up to 30 eggs at a time below the surace of the soil. The female tends the eggs until they have hatched.

Food

The main food of earwigs is vegetable matter which it usually seeks at night. It may eat living and dead insects. Indoors is it a harmless nuisance.

What you can do

These insects are not an infesting species. They are commonly known as casual intruders, therefore chemical control is very rarely required. The following measures should help prevent earwigs becoming a problem to you:

• Remove vegetation from around buildings.
• Proof entry points to prevent insects gaining access to the building.
• Empty or clean out gutters to remove rotting leaves.

If problems persist then the use of an insecticide may be required.