Earwigs Behaivior and Social life!?

Alokin

Alokin

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
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121
Ok so last night i cought this...earwig in my bed....and i was like...oook i dont wanna kill you but im too tired to set you free and i just put it in a old enclosure...that had nothing in it exept..dirt...a bottle cap with some watter 2 rocks and some bark....so....I went ot bed..and this morning i wake up to the most weird thing....the enclosure had these little creveses on the outside..near the lid...and i found 2 other earwigs...hanging out in them....Couincidence...or not? Do they do that...do they live in a comunity.. is it just mating instenct...or are they like bees secreting a feromone for the others to folow....for help....????

Please im really interested if anyone has seen stuff like this...The wierd thing is i didnt..know i had 2 more earwigs in the room.Or did they come in from the outside..i dont know...its really weird :D
 
Smokehound714

Smokehound714

Arachnoking
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Mar 23, 2013
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they actually do prefer to live in groups.

Mothers will actually care for them until they decide to leave, or she becomes gravid again.

earwigs will stay together after leaving their mother for quite some time until they mature.
 
Alokin

Alokin

Arachnosquire
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Dec 19, 2013
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121
Verry interesting Creatures if i might say...I toutght about actualy keeping them cous they were doing fine...1 female 2 males....but...desided to let them goo...i want a mantice xD
 
Spepper

Spepper

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
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745
This spring I turned over a board propped against a wall outside and discovered a ton of young earwigs scurrying every which way—and in the midst of them was their mother, running around like (pardon the expression) a chicken with her head cut off. LOL She couldn't keep an eye on them all as they scattered, haha. Well I went back to the house and got a deli cup and caught about 20 of the babies and kept them in one with a couple inches of moist dirt in the bottom and a piece of bark, and some Isopods I collected. They lasted a long time in that, loving fish food flakes and crispy dead crickets and the occasional green thing, and when I deemed they were big enough they needed a housing upgrade I moved them to an old assorted nuts jar from Costco. There were about 15 left by then. Their group dynamics are simply fascinating; definitely one of my favorite insects to keep. Their behavior is somewhere between a pack of dogs, and a flock of chickens, as odd as that sounds. Dog-like because they are tolerant of each other, but if one steps out of line for even a moment the nearest one lets 'em know with a good pinch. Chicken-like because they'll eat almost anything, and sometimes when they have a flake of fish food they grab it and run around playing "Keep Away" like chickens do. It's quite entertaining.
 
Smokehound714

Smokehound714

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Mar 23, 2013
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Lol, my backyard is absolutely loaded with European earwigs. One summer i even got to see them all disperse en masse when the plants dried up and the aphids disappeared, along with the humidity. Every bird in the area crowded around to feast on the slow clumsy fliers.


To this day people still wont believe me when I say these can fly :p
 
Spepper

Spepper

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
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745
That sounds amazing. I read that they can fly, but no one here will believe me either. LOL (Never seen it myself though)
 
Tenodera

Tenodera

Arachnobaron
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Sep 28, 2011
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486
Hot July day at a public pool and they'll sometimes decide to fly around. Just wanted to say I've really enjoyed reading this documentation. You're a bugger after my own heart. <3
 
Beary Strange

Beary Strange

Arachnodemon
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Aug 30, 2013
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Spepper said:
This spring I turned over a board propped against a wall outside and discovered a ton of young earwigs scurrying every which way—and in the midst of them was their mother, running around like (pardon the expression) a chicken with her head cut off. LOL She couldn't keep an eye on them all as they scattered, haha. Well I went back to the house and got a deli cup and caught about 20 of the babies and kept them in one with a couple inches of moist dirt in the bottom and a piece of bark, and some Isopods I collected. They lasted a long time in that, loving fish food flakes and crispy dead crickets and the occasional green thing, and when I deemed they were big enough they needed a housing upgrade I moved them to an old assorted nuts jar from Costco. There were about 15 left by then. Their group dynamics are simply fascinating; definitely one of my favorite insects to keep. Their behavior is somewhere between a pack of dogs, and a flock of chickens, as odd as that sounds. Dog-like because they are tolerant of each other, but if one steps out of line for even a moment the nearest one lets 'em know with a good pinch. Chicken-like because they'll eat almost anything, and sometimes when they have a flake of fish food they grab it and run around playing "Keep Away" like chickens do. It's quite entertaining.
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I've always found these guys fascinating and oddly cute. How do you keep yours and how long is long in terms of their lifespan?
 
Spepper

Spepper

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
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745
Belle Fury said:
I've always found these guys fascinating and oddly cute. How do you keep yours and how long is long in terms of their lifespan?
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Well I can't tell you how old they can get, since I've only had mine since spring, but I would imagine it's probably about a year. Since I just have a few and they pretty much like to huddle together under a piece of bark, I don't think they need a whole lot of space. The only roaming they do is at night, to find food, and on the occasions I have to severely disturb them (such as rehoming them). I keep them in a salted nuts jar (empty of course LOL) with a couple inches of moist dirt. They can easily climb plastic though so make sure your lid can be fastened tightly. They almost have the metabolism of a spider so I only feed them every few days, haha. Fish food, cat food, dead crickets... now the ones that die before they're fed don't go to waste. :) They'll also eat green things like grass or romain lettuce. Very easy. :)
 
Smokehound714

Smokehound714

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Mar 23, 2013
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I had one female Anisolabis maritima make it to 4 years. Fairly long lived, males dont live as long. Maybe two years if they're lucky.
 
Spepper

Spepper

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Jul 22, 2013
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745
Smokehound714 said:
I had one female Anisolabis maritima make it to 4 years. Fairly long lived, males dont live as long. Maybe two years if they're lucky.
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Very interesting, thanks for that, Smokehound. I have European earwigs. :) Forficula auricularia
 
Mike41793

Mike41793

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
161
I always thought they were more of a pest, didn't realize they were so fascinating. Interesting to read more about them!
 
Cavedweller

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
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Mar 23, 2011
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1,064
This makes me wanna try keeping them too! I have one that keeps hanging out on my arm in my kitchen.
 
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