January 2021 - earwig affection
January 2021 sightings has been converted into an earwig affection post. I was very busy submitting my MSc thesis until mid-January and didn't have much time to go bug hunting. Pretty much the only insect I saw was this juvenile earwig. Juvenile earwig 31st Jan. 2021 ( Forficula auricularia ) Earwigs are in the Dermaptera (skin wings) and in the UK we have four native species. This little earwig (called a nymph not a larva) is a juvenile as there are no or very small wing cases visible - only adults have wings. The name for earwig comes from the shape of their wings; they look like little ears. These wings are a right faff for the insects to fold up again so they are not often seen in flight but here is a take-off video of an earwig. Their wings fold out by spring-like folds to be 10 times bigger than the folded size and remain locked in place when not in use. The wings are even used as models for some engineering projects . They have filiform (thread-like) antennae, short