European earwig

Description:

With about 1800-2,000 species in 12 families, earwigs are one of the smaller insect orders; there are about 25 species in North America. They have characteristic forceps pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded underneath short forewings. Earwigs rarely use their flying ability. They are nocturnal and often hide in small, moist crevices during the day. They are active at night, feeding on a wide variety of insects and plants. Many earwig species display maternal care, which is uncommon among insects. Female earwigs may care for their eggs, and even after they have hatched as nymphs will continue to watch over offspring until their second molt. As the nymphs molt, sexual dimorphism such as differences in pincer shapes begins to show.

Habitat:

Earwigs are found throughout the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand.

Notes:

Inspired by KarenL, I have begun looking under rocks, too. Can’t say the insects are my favorite but they are interesting. And according to Wikipedia, earwigs may indeed occasionally crawl into the human ear canal (much like any other small organism) – yech!