The earwig is an insect instantly recognizable by the pair of forceps-like pincers extending from its abdomen. These common household and garden creatures belong to the insect order Dermaptera. The unusual name “earwig” suggests a close, even invasive, relationship with the human body, prompting many to wonder about the historical reasons behind this label. The story of the name is a blend of ancient superstition, linguistic history, and a misunderstanding of the insect’s actual habits.
The Folklore and the Naming Myth
The most popular and enduring explanation for the earwig’s name lies in a widespread, centuries-old folk belief. This superstition held that the insects would actively seek out sleeping humans and crawl into the ear canal, using the dark opening as a suitable hiding place. The myth often escalated, claiming that once inside, the earwig would burrow deeper, tunneling into the brain to lay its eggs, leading to deafness, insanity, or death.
This pervasive narrative is the primary reason the insect is strongly associated with the ear in many different languages. For example, the German name for the insect is Ohrwurm, which translates directly to “ear worm.” Similarly, the French name, perce-oreille, means “pierce-ear,” reflecting the historical fear that the insect’s pincers could puncture the eardrum.
This popular, albeit false, notion provided a direct explanation for the insect’s common name that persists today, even though the belief is unfounded.
The True Linguistic Origin
While the folklore provides the dramatic answer, the word “earwig” has a concrete linguistic root in Old English. The term is derived from the compound word ēarwicga, which literally translates to “ear insect” or “ear beetle.” The second element, wicga, suggests a creature that wriggles or moves quickly, which is the likely origin of the modern English word “wiggle.”
The etymological connection to the ear is not definitively linked only to the popular myth, as alternative theories exist regarding the insect’s morphology. Some entomologists suggest the name refers to the insect’s membranous hindwings. These wings are intricately folded beneath small, leathery forewings, and when fully unfolded, they resemble the shape of a human ear.
Another possibility is that the name relates to the insect’s distinct rear pincers, known as cerci. In some European languages, the name may have linked these pincers to the small instruments goldsmiths once used to pierce ears.
Facts About Earwig Behavior
The reality of an earwig’s life contrasts sharply with the folklore surrounding its name. Earwigs are primarily nocturnal creatures, meaning they are most active at night. During the daytime, they seek out small, dark, and moist environments to shelter from light and avoid desiccation.
Their preferred habitats are damp areas like under rocks, logs, leaf litter, and mulch beds, or in the soil where females will burrow to lay eggs and care for their young. Earwigs are opportunistic omnivores, feeding mainly on decaying plant matter, fungi, and smaller insects like aphids, playing a role as scavengers in the ecosystem.
The pincers are primarily used for defense against predators, for capturing prey, and for courtship during mating. While an earwig may pinch a human if it feels threatened, the pinch is generally weak and highly unlikely to break the skin. The likelihood of an earwig seeking out or surviving in the dry, hair-filled environment of a human ear canal is extremely low, making the ancient myth an unsubstantiated fear.