Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Earwigs (Dermaptera) » Anisolabididae » Euborellia » Ring-legged Earwig (Euborellia annulipes)

Species Euborellia annulipes - Ring-legged Earwig

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Earwig - Euborellia annulipes - female Unknown Earwig - Euborellia annulipes Euborellia annulipes Ringed Earwig - Euborellia annulipes Earwig - Euborellia annulipes Earwig - Euborellia annulipes Euborellia annulipes - female Ring-legged Earwig - Dorsal - Euborellia annulipes
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Dermaptera (Earwigs)
Family Anisolabididae
Genus Euborellia
Species annulipes (Ring-legged Earwig)
Other Common Names
Ringlegged Earwig
Explanation of Names
Euborellia annulipes (Lucas 1847)
annulipes = 'ring-legged'
Size
12-18 mm(1)
Identification
A medium-sized dark-brown earwig with dark areas on the light-yellow legs ("black armbands"). Only the wingless forms are found in our area. Adult antenna with 14-16 segments.
E. cincticollis is very similar and sometimes has dark areas on the legs, but those tend to be less distinct. Adults can be told apart by antennomere counts: 17-20 E. cincticollis vs 14-16 in E. annulipes
Range
e. US (MA-FL to NE-TX) and BC-CA-AZ; Mexico(1); probably introduced from Europe
Habitat
under debris, rocks, and bark in dry and damp places(2). Its ability to live indoors means it can show up just about anywhere people go.
Food
A voracious predator, it will also eat all kinds of plant material, though rarely bothers with live plants
Life Cycle
Female lays a clutch of several dozen eggs, which she guards fiercely, also keeping them from getting dirty or dried out. The nymphs molt 4-5 times before becoming adults.
Remarks
first detected in the US in 1884
Not uncommon in homes and gardens, though often displaced by other species, esp. the European Earwig. Whatever damage it does to crops like lettuce and strawberries is usually more than made up for by destroying small slugs, caterpillars, termites, and many other pests.
Print References
Bharadwaj RK. (1966) Observation on the bionomics of Euborellia annulipes (Dermaptera: Labiduridae). Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 59: 441-450.
Calixto A, Dean A, Knutson A, Harris M. (2006) Density changes of two earwigs, Labidura riparia (Pallas) and Euboriellia annulipes (Lucas) following fire ant reduction in Mumford, Texas. Southwestern Entomologist 31: 97-101.
Klostermeyer EC. (1942) The life history and habits of the ring-legged earwig, Euboriella annulipes (Lucas) (Order Dermaptera). J. Kans. Ent. Soc. 15: 13-18.
Internet References
Fact sheet (Capinera 2017)(3)
Works Cited
1.The Earwigs of California (Order Dermaptera)
R.L. Langston & J.A. Powell. 1975. Bull. Calif. Insect Surv. 20: 1-25.
2.Choate P. M. () The order Dermaptera (earwigs) in Florida and the United States
3.University of Florida: Featured Creatures
Contributed by Eric R. Eaton on 8 December, 2005 - 5:28pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, Graham M, v belov
Last updated 2 July, 2021 - 10:44am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact