You’re moving a damp cardboard box in the garage or maybe just picking up a wet towel from the bathroom floor when you see it. It’s reddish-brown, fast, and has a terrifying pair of pincers sticking out of its backside. Most people just call it the bug with split tail, but let’s get the formal introductions out of the way. It’s an earwig.
And no, it doesn’t want to crawl into your brain while you sleep.
That old wives' tale about earwigs burrowing into human ears to lay eggs is arguably one of the most successful smear campaigns in biological history. The name literally comes from the Old English ear-wicga, which means "ear wiggler." But honestly? Scientists like those at the University of California Statewide IPM Program have confirmed repeatedly that they have zero interest in your ear canal. They’d much rather be under a moist rock or eating your marigolds.
If you've spotted one, you’ve probably noticed that "split tail" is actually a set of forceps, technically called cerci. They look like they could do some real damage, right? Well, sort of. If you pick one up, it might give you a tiny pinch, but it’s not venomous. It’s basically the insect version of a bluff.
What is that split tail actually for?
It’s not just for show. Earwigs use those rear-end pincers for a few specific things. First, defense. If a centipede or a predatory beetle shows up, the earwig flips its abdomen over its head like a scorpion to look intimidating.
They also use them to fold and unfold their wings. Yeah, believe it or not, most species of this bug with split tail actually have wings. They’re folded up in a weirdly complex, origami-like fashion under small leathery covers. They rarely fly, though. They're like that one person who owns a treadmill but only uses it to hang laundry.
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The shape of the tail actually tells you who you're looking at. If the pincers are relatively straight, you're looking at a female. If they’re strongly curved—kind of like a pair of ice tongs—that’s a male. Biologists like Douglas Main have noted that males use these curved pincers to fight other males for mating rights, which is basically the insect equivalent of a bar fight.
Why are they in your house right now?
Earwigs are moisture junkies. They breathe through tiny holes in their sides and can dry out quickly if the air is too crisp. If it’s been incredibly hot and dry outside, they’re coming inside to find a humid "microclimate." This usually means your basement, your laundry room, or under the kitchen sink.
Conversely, if it’s been raining non-stop, they might be fleeing a flooded garden. They’re scavengers. They love decaying organic matter. If you have a pile of damp leaves right against your foundation, you’re basically running a five-star resort for every bug with split tail in the neighborhood.
There are about 2,000 species of earwigs worldwide, but the one you’re likely seeing in North America or Europe is the Forficula auricularia, the common European earwig. They aren't "social" insects like ants or bees, but they do hang out in groups. If you see one, there are probably twenty more nearby, likely huddled in a dark, damp crack.
The weirdly sweet side of earwigs
I know "sweet" isn't the word you’d use for a creature that looks like a miniature nightmare, but earwigs are surprisingly good parents. This is rare in the bug world. Most insects lay eggs and then immediately check out, leaving the kids to fend for themselves.
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The female earwig is different. She stays with her eggs. She cleans them constantly to prevent mold and fungus from growing. Even after they hatch, she protects the nymphs until they’ve molted a few times. It’s a level of maternal care that makes them kind of hard to hate once you know about it. Sort of.
Other bugs that look like they have a split tail
Sometimes, people misidentify the bug with split tail because several other critters have similar hardware.
- Silverfish: These are fast, silvery, and look "shimmery." Instead of two pincers, they have three long, thin filaments at the back. They love eating the glue in your book bindings and your wallpaper.
- Diplurans: These are tiny, pale, and live in the soil. They also have cerci that look like a split tail, but you’ll rarely see them unless you’re digging in the dirt.
- Rove Beetles: Some of these have long bodies and can flip their tails up like a scorpion. They don't have the same hard pincers, but they can be mistaken for earwigs at a distance.
- Forcepstails: These are actually a specific type of dipluran that has very prominent pincers. They’re like the earwig's underground, goth cousins.
How to get them out without burning the house down
Look, you don't need a heavy-duty exterminator for a few earwigs. If you see a massive infestation—like hundreds of them—that’s a different story. But for the occasional bug with split tail, some simple physical changes do the trick.
Drying things out is your best weapon. Run a dehumidifier in the basement. Fix that leaky pipe under the bathroom sink. If there’s no water, they’ll leave on their own because they’ll literally die of thirst.
Outside, check your perimeter. Move the mulch back at least six inches from your foundation. Mulch is basically an earwig incubator. If you have a woodpile, keep it away from the house. You can also make a low-tech trap using an empty tuna can. Put a little vegetable oil and a drop of soy sauce in it. The earwigs are attracted to the smell of the fermented soy, crawl in, and then can’t get out of the oil. It’s weirdly effective.
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Are they actually bad for your garden?
This is where it gets nuanced. Gardeners have a love-mating-hate relationship with the bug with split tail. On one hand, they eat aphids, mites, and slow-moving larvae. They are excellent natural pest controllers in that regard.
On the other hand, they have a taste for tender seedlings and flower petals. If you notice ragged holes in your zinnias or dahlias, the earwigs might be the culprits. They love corn silk, too. Usually, the damage is cosmetic and won't kill the plant, but if you’re trying to win a prize at the county fair, they’re your enemy.
Identifying the damage
You can tell earwig damage apart from slug damage because earwigs don’t leave a slime trail. If you see holes in leaves but the ground is dry and there's no silver shimmer, you're looking at earwig work. They feed at night, so if you go out with a flashlight around 10:00 PM, you’ll catch them in the act.
Real-world steps for a bug-free home
If you’re tired of seeing these pincered intruders, here’s what actually works based on integrated pest management (IPM) principles.
- Seal the gaps: Use caulk to seal cracks in your foundation and around basement windows. Earwigs are flat and can squeeze through almost anything.
- Clear the gutters: Clogged gutters create damp debris at the roofline, which can lead them into your attic or upper floors.
- The rolled-up newspaper trick: If you have them in the garden, roll up a damp newspaper and leave it out overnight. In the morning, it’ll be full of earwigs. Toss it in the trash or a bucket of soapy water.
- Check the laundry: If you hang clothes outside to dry, give them a good shake before bringing them in. Earwigs love the folds of damp fabric.
- Bird power: Encourage birds like chickadees and nuthatches to hang out in your yard. They think earwigs are delicious.
The reality is that the bug with split tail is a misunderstood scavenger. It’s not trying to get in your ear, it’s not trying to bite you, and it’s mostly just looking for a damp place to hide from the sun. Keep your house dry, your mulch away from the walls, and you’ll rarely see them. If you do, just remember they’re probably more scared of your shoe than you are of their pincers.
The best way to handle them is to address the moisture levels in your home immediately. Buy a cheap hygrometer to check the humidity in your basement; if it's over 60%, you're inviting them in. Once you drop that humidity level, the earwigs will naturally migrate back to the garden where they belong, eating your aphids and staying out of your sight.