I always wondered about what exactly the purpose of these vile looking things was Growing up in the South, I heard every myth imaginable given how they look and their name. No mention has ever been offered before now as to what these guys eat.
GO FORTH AND FEAR NO MORE YOUNG MAN!

Thanks for the tip! I just saw one today, it was stuck in my duck tape. Scared me so bad I almost dropped my container of seedlings.

OK... I just flashed back to an episode of Rod Sterling's "Night Gallery," or something like that. I forget the show - it was't Twilight Zone, and it wasn't Sixth Sense. He had another one, and introduced the stories by showing a painting.

This episode, the painting was of a haggard looking man, face filled with fear/anguish, lunging out the door of a rustic jungle cabin in a tropical setting.

Last line of that episode has stayed with me for almost 40 years now.

"The earwig -- it was a female earwig. And females lay eggs."

That show scared the bejeebies out of me, regarding creepy-crawlies.

Mary, was that the show where the earwig made it all the way through and out the other ear. The guy was in great pain up till then but finally thought it was over until he was told that it laid eggs while in there.
Yeah , I remember that one.

Earwigs really go for the silks of my corn.

Yes, Tabby, *that* show. The one I was working really hard to not synopsize the plot cause I didn't want nightmares tonight. Thanks!

I'm tellin' ya, my 12/13 yr old self was NOT ready for that one. Talk about instant karma, though... he had arranged for the earwig to be dropped in some OTHER guy's ear, as a foolproof murder plot. Oops.

I think I was the same age when I saw it. Was that the same series where an old woman planted her fingers while dying? "Everything I plant grows, including me!"

I hate it when the earwigs hide in among the petals of my cut flowers and fall out onto my table. They're really bad about hiding in dahlias.

I have lots of pots and they hide under them. I lift the pots and do the Mexican Hat dance on 'em early in the mornings. Quite a show for the nosey neighbor too!

I hate these damned things. They stink really bad when you squish them. I get them a LOT because of all the mulch.. these & centipedes.

I remember that show, too! I watched many of Rod Serling's shows, even Twilight Zone recently since it has come back on my "retro" channel. The earwig show sure made an impression on us, eh? Makes me wanna scratch my ear if I feel it itch while trying to sleep!

Bubbles, you need to charge admission for that hat dance!

Shoe

I had them in a pot of coleus cuttings in the house a few years ago. I just tossed the pots. They stripped a plant in no time.

I love spiders, snakes, scorpions, bugs, lizards, amphibians, and rodents but this is the ONE bug that usually sends me running. (Er well other than bees but that's because I'm allergic.)

We have hoards of the things around here....every time I open the trash can lid, it rains earwigs. But I've never seen any damage to plants from them. Ha ha, maybe we have enough trash around to keep them happy without eating my plants!

Same here, woofie. My daughter used to open the trash can that houses our chicken scratch and loads of earwigs would appear. She'd freak, squeek, scream and holler. I reckon they were more interested in the scratch feed and not the plants so I thought that was a good thing. (And I also enjoyed the antics of DD as she fed the chickens scratch. I imagine it was similar to Bubbles dancing show! :>)

Shoe

Hey, I resemble that remark, Shoe!

Thanks. I could use a good laugh!