Common European Earwig
Scientific name: Forficula auricularia Linnaeus, 1758
Overview
Forficula auricularia is a species complex comprising the common earwig. It is also known as the European earwig. It is an omnivorous insect belonging to the family Forficulidae. The name earwig comes from the appearance of the hindwings, which are unique in their resemblance to human ears when unfolded. The species name of the common earwig, auricularia, is a specific reference to this feature. The European earwig survives in a variety of environments. It is also a common household insect in North America. They are often considered a household pest because of their tendency to invade crevices in homes and consume pantry foods, though they may also act as beneficial species depending on the circumstances.
From the Wikipedia article “Forficula auricularia”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: DE; HU; NL; Stereá Elláda; Peloponnisos; Veszprém; Pest; Ardebil; Tehran; Golestan; Bihor; Uppsala; CZE; Valle d'Aosta; Lombardia; Trentino-Alto Adige; Veneto; Toscana; Calabria; Molise; Apulia; Abruzzo; Lazio; Marche; Piemonte; 72; 75; 78; BGM; CNT; GRC; IRN; NBR; NSC; NWY; OHI; SDA; VRG; FRA-CI; FRA-FR; HUN-OO; ITA-IT; MAS-OO; MDR-OO; MIC-OO; ONT-OO; ROM-OO; SAR-OO; SIC-SI; SWE-OO; TUR-OO; Girona.
Common names
Also known in English as common earwig.
Names in other languages (7)
- Arabic
- إبرة العجوز الأوروبية
- Chinese
- 歐洲蠼螋
- German
- Gemeiner Ohrwurm
- Japanese
- クギヌキハサミムシ
- Persian
- گوشخیزک اروپایی
- Russian
- Уховёртка обыкновенная
- Turkish
- Kulağakaçan
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: Dermaptera Species File.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — names in other languages. Q2537221, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Forficula auricularia”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026