Family Labiduridae - Striped Earwigs

A single species in our area(1), >70 spp. in 8 genera worldwide, arranged into 3 subfamilies(2)

The adults have black stripes running down the length of the forewings away from the edges, which gives the appearance of a lighter stripe down the middle of the back when the wings are folded. Doru species have the dark area on the back edge of the wings, which gives the appearance of a dark stripe down the middle of the back. Doru can also be distinguished by the dilated 2nd tarsal segment.

The best way to tell the adults from those of other families, though, is the number of segments in the antennae: Labidura riparia has at least 25 segments- more than any other earwigs known from our area.

Worldwide; in our area, across the southern states(1)