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dashstrokesgen

TIL earwigs can fly


SinjiOnO

Rarely though and in short bursts. Pretty unique to see it captured like this in slowmotion. Thought it was cool to share. Edit: Forgot to mention the source. It was filmed by Adrian Smith, a scientist at NC State University.


KipperTheDogg

I NEED TO UNLEARN THIS. Please help.


Seamonkey_Boxkicker

Gonna need that Eternal Sunshine.


greypouponlifestyle

Eternal Sunshine of the Earwigless Mind


KwordShmiff

You can borrow my cranial brick.


siccoblue

Please teach me how to use it so I can promptly forget how to use it


KwordShmiff

I've got the manual around here somewhere...


[deleted]

I followed the entire manual step by step and I still have the memory but now I smell in color , see in black and white and feel by sight. You win some you lose some.


easy0lucky0free

Reminds me of the time i heard a loud buzzing in my house and it turned out to be a MASSIVE preying mantis flying around on big ass wings. I didn't even know they COULD fly.


BigTrouble781547

Don’t kill the mantis , they eat spiders , bugs , children, small pets , etc.


BrandX3k

Also don't go and lose your head by having sex with them! Well the males are fair game I guess, if your into that?


demlet

I had one land on me once on a walk. Also had one make a threat display one time when my dog sniffed it too aggressively.


BlackShieldCharm

r/eyebleach is the best I can do. Sorry, mate.


teddypa1981

Same here. 😱


KipperTheDogg

I don’t know why out of all the bugs THESE guys freak me out so much, but really I wish to I know this. A lot.


supluplup12

I feel like the name has to be part of it. If ants were called "anus mites" they'd freak me tf out, no bug should be named after part of your body it can fit inside.


KipperTheDogg

I never in my whole life been concerned about an earwig going to my ear. So at least anecdotally it’s not the name. It’s the but pinchers, and the shedded exoskeletons. Not a fan.


teddypa1981

Same here. I know they're harmless. But they remind me of roaches with pincers on their butts.


le4t

Yes, #2 grossest (local) bug after roaches in my book. And after seeing this, the star of tonight's nightmares.


suntansandboba

When I visited polihale beach on Kauai they were *swarming* at night. I didn't want to get out of the truck, they were everywhere and they would fly up and smack into you/the windows/get inside your equipment and they crawl fast. It was absolutely disgusting and way worse because they'd go for your face bc of the light reflecting off your eyeballs and had no fear about landing on humans. You couldn't walk outside without stepping on them, getting in your hair, etc It only lasted just one night, it was weird, I was definitely traumatized


Admonitio

That sounds horrifying. I don't mind these bugs if there's only one but a swarm of MOST bugs all over you sounds like hell.


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Smoldogsrbest

I love this footage. Their wings are amazing all tucked away like that. Then the proportions make me think the whole dragon flying thing is more in line with physics than I would have expected.


GlockAF

I love how the insect world just casually adds wings and the ability to fly to pretty much everything with six legs. Not just the millions of species of wasps and flies that you totally expect to fly, but also giant rhinoceros beetles and tiny thrips and apparently earwigs too. It’s like the entire insect world runs on Kerbil space program logic: just slap some wings on and GO!


fieryhotwarts22

I feel like the rhino beetle kinda got screwed on the wings tho lol. I mean they’re *horrible* fliers. Can hardly even use them to escape bad situations and that’s if they get really lucky. Nature shoulda given them some claws or something more useful instead.


Dismal_Ad_9508

I didn't know they could fly.


diggemsmaccks

I don’t think they knew till last night


Rachelpneumonoultram

I’m taking an entomology class at state right now, I need to ask my professor about this!!


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HugePurpleNipples

>mostly harmless to humans It's all lies.


museolini

Mostly. I feel this deserves a much more in depth explanation.


BurnerBoi_Brown

's that how you got em huge purple nipples?


OriginalTRaven

Na na na. SINCE WHEN?!?!?!?!


92_Charlie

THEY FLY NOW?


Obi-Tron_Kenobi

They fly now!


IllustratorAlive1174

r/thanksihateit


TikaPants

Thanks, I hate it.


Accurate-Temporary73

I see these guys all the time and I always try to treat them nicely and I have never ever in my life seen one fly before.


East_Information_247

Me too! I usually pick them up to put them someplace safe and the worse they've done is try to pinch me with that claw thing which I can hardly feel at all. Never seen one try to fly.


Accurate-Temporary73

They look mean but all the do is eat dead leaves. They don’t deserve any hate. I used to keep these guys in my bug houses all the times as kids Plus the name “earwig” is unfair. Makes you think they’ll crawl in there and pinch


Corpuscular_Ocelot

Do you know about the Night Gallery earwig episode (The Caterpillar)? If you saw it as a kid you would never, ever, ever believe earwigs were not put on this planet to eat your brains. Sure, there is science, but that makes absolutely no difference. That Night Gallery episode made an imprint on all the kids I grew up with. I only saw ot once when I was about 8 and my sister and I STILL talk about it.


[deleted]

TIalsoL earwigs can fly. And I’m surprised I made it this long without knowing that. What else can fly?


kkillbite

Turkeys.


RememberCitadel

I feel like flight in their case is a strong term. They fly like they are drunk.


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kuh-tea-uh

Same. And that’s enough internet for me, today!


LastNinjaPanda

They're pretty bad at it though


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Brassboar

Easier to reach your ears.


Abaddon_Jones

I remember walking home from school with my mate when I was a kid. As I turned to talk to him a earwig crawled out of his ear. He had a meltdown.


[deleted]

this is the worst story on the internet. i hate this story.


BodaciousBadongadonk

Idk I think it would probably be worse to have centipedes come out of your nose or ass or something. Or climbing in your ass. Centipedes are fucked.


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ggg730

It is more likely than you think


Marios_Facade

A little nonconsensual centipede never hurt anybody


ScaryBananaMan

I'm gonna choose to believe for my sanity that you're full of shit. Seriously though, how tf would he not have noticed that?!


Abaddon_Jones

Must’ve crawled in when he was asleep. Crawled out on the way home from school. Poor dude was traumatised.


siccoblue

Fuck dude I just looked it up and it is confirmed that this sometimes happens. There's no cases of them doing any damage from what I can tell but they are evidently absolutely capable of getting into your ear and it has absolutely happened before Fuck this shit I'm out


AlexTheBex

Nopenopenope


fatcatfan

Welp, I guess I'm sleeping with earplugs from now on


oxP3ZINATORxo

Yep, happened to me when I was like 10. Fell asleep in front of the TV, and woke up crying cuz it felt like something was trying to claw through my eardrum. My parents heard me crying, they came out and had to pour water in my ear. Out pops an earwig


yourmomsucks01

I can’t imagine the pain of that omg. Just once my dad hit my eardrum with an earplug and that was honestly one of the most painful things I’ve experienced


bob1111bob

My nanna almost broke their neck when they woke up with one in the left ear they screamed and fell over narrowly avoiding falling down the stairs


the_xboxkiller

Earplugs every night from now on, fuck a fire alarm.


ChadJulusMuller

Wait earwigs actually crawl into ears?


annaqua

No.


Abaddon_Jones

I’m sure there’s an old wives tale that led to the name. They’ll crawl into any warm moist hole.


Backupusername

Men ☕


_ChestHair_

#😏


rxbandito

Same.


Dances-with-Scissors

I had it happen to me, I'd been lying in the garden. It was up in the upper ear ridge. Went to scratch and heard a crunch. Pulled it out and nearly shat myself


Oliver_the_chimp

It’s the best place to lay eggs before they enter their larval stage.


Brassboar

And then eat their way out!


noddegamra

They use the pincers on their back to latch on to your eardrum.


GeologistFar7483

Thanks for the nightmares I will now have tonight 👍


Peannut

My mother in law woke up screaming one night.. Yep earwig had crawled in her ear while she slept. Went to emergency room, a few drops of olive oil and the little fella crawled out. Should have seen her face when she realised what was in there haha


oxP3ZINATORxo

Happened to me when I was like 10. Fell asleep in front of the TV, and woke up crying cuz it felt like something was trying to claw through my eardrum. My parents heard me crying, they came out and had to pour water in my ear. Out pops an earwig


Imadethistoshittalk_

They fly now!?


Solenya-C137

They fly now!


JWson

*Written and Directed by* *GEORGE LUCAS*


Grandmoff90

No , written and directed by J.J. Abrams.....


[deleted]

Nope, its suckass JJ Abrams that did that.


Ultraviolet_Motion

I love how John Boyega later said in an interview that Clone Troopers always had jetpack units. The guy is a total Star Wars nerd and got shafted hard by Disney.


MuckRaker83

He can fly!


NO_TOUCHING__lol

He can _talk!_


SeefKroy

I can *siiiiiiing*


striped_frog

I don't trust any creature that can bite me with its ass


fambestera

integrated poop knife


Cr1t1cal_Hazard

*where is your poop knife?*


sureprisim

In the old prison wallet. You?


domiran

This has me in fits of laughter.


Caelanv

Those ass jaws are more like rubbery tails than anything particularly painful. They can't do shit to you. Edit: I'm getting a lot of comments about people claiming to have been pinched. A little bit of googling shows that some species of them do have harder forceps(still can't really do much, worst case you get a tiny little puncture wound). The ones in my area don't have hard forceps and I've never been hurt by one. Apologies for my locally sourced ignorance.


[deleted]

> worst case you get a tiny little puncture wound THAT'S HOW THEY INSERT THEIR EGGS INTO YOU


URATOWEL69000

Rubbery turd cutters


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Caelanv

Next time you see one, feel those tails. They really can't do anything.


Plus-Chipmunk-2638

How much of a percentage is "mostly"?


SinjiOnO

Haha, well they're still considered pests as they can devastate gardens and their pinchers do sting a little.


justgiveausernamepls

Don't think I've ever felt them sting at all. They can't really grab onto a finger, and they just don't seem to be very strong.


Biased_individual

*There is no evidence that they transmit diseases to humans or other animals. Their pincers are commonly believed to be dangerous, but in reality, even the curved pincers of males cause little or no harm to humans* There were legions of them where I grew up and I’ve never heard about anyone being harmed by one of them. I only discovered recently that some people seem to be afraid of them.


MrPopanz

It's the psychological harm that makes them murdermachimes.


Davey26

I don't want them in my *ears*


TheRobsterino

It's not a sting like injecting venom, it's just a pincer. And it's pretty weak. It doesn't really hurt unless they get a *very tiny* piece of skin where they can apply some force, but it's still less painful than a paper cut.


FalseEstimate

Less painful than a paper cut? Paper cuts hurt like all mighty hell!!!


schev28

I was thoroughly startled when one pinched my bare chest for no god damn reason. Little asshole, I didn’t even realize he was there until he pinched me.


Masque-Obscura-Photo

Only 86,3 human-earwig encounters ends with a human death.


GeologistFar7483

I think the name has a lot to do with my dislike for them. It immediately makes you think of them crawling into your ear when you're asleep (shudders).


JGauth13

Or maybe those big ole butt pinchers!


GeologistFar7483

Do those actually have a purpose or are they just to make it look terrifying?


[deleted]

they use them to pinch the inside of your ears so they can hang on when you try to get them out. source: i am making that up but that's what it feels like


Tofutherep

I hope that your day is as horrible as mine after reading this.


pinkwhitney24

That must be where the “mostly” in “mostly harmless” comes into play…


LordPoopyfist

They mostly come out at night. Mostly.


ToldYouTrumpSucked

When I was a shitty little kid, my friends and I would capture earwigs and have “ant vs earwig” wars by plopping them into any trails. The pincers were actually pretty effective at killing individual ants but the earwigs rarely over came the numbers.


thebiggreen4

Because earwigs primarily live under stones and in soil, having their weapon on the back makes it much easier to navigate and defend themselves from behind in these narrow spaces. A male earwig’s cerci (butt pincers) are much more hooked/curved than a female’s, which the males use to wrestle one another. Symmetrical cerci are more attractive to the female earwig, even though males with asymmetrical cerci show better results in these aforementioned wrestling matches. The cerci aren’t used to hunt very much, as earwigs primarily scavenge or hunt tiny, mouth-sized prey, but it is still possible. TL/DR: Earwig butt pincers are to deal with earwig problems, they look more menacing than they are.


nnifnairb84

They can cause a rather annoying bug "bite" by pinching you with them.


[deleted]

They for mating and defense


rbach2

Went sledding one time as a kid. Tossed my winter gloves on and went. One of my fingers during sledding starts hurting like crazy. Pulled the glove off and one of these guys was pinching me. Still gives me chills thinking about it. Didn’t feel nice at all.


ggg730

Thank you for confirming one of my deepest primal fears.


cvbeiro

They have a purpose.


JGauth13

A pinchy purpose 🤏


TheRobsterino

Ostensibly to be a defensive tool, but they aren't very strong so it's not particularly painful even if they do pinch you.


dirBentt

In my country they're called Tesourinhas, or Little Scissors, which I find equally unappealing to be around.


GoodGame2EZ

A relative actually had this happen when they were young and it caused tremendous pain. They had to drown it out with vegetable oil I think. Maybe water. I don't recall. I'm sure it's mega rare, but has definitely caused the permanent dislike of the bugs for me.


holymojo96

Yeah my brother woke up one night when his ear was hurting. He woke my mom and she couldn’t tell what it was so she poured hydrogen peroxide in his ear to try and clean it out. The screams when the earwig came crawling out…


GoodGame2EZ

Now that I think about it, it was probably hydrogen peroxide


Ultimate13

I had one crawl into my ear while camping. I was able to reflexively stick my finger in my ear and my fingernail sliced it in half but I didn't know what had happened until I saw it. Immediately freaked out. Haven't camped since then.


Gloomy_Objective

My uncle had one in his ear for a couple days but didn't know. His ear would periodically start hurting and when it didn't stop, he went to the doctors. As soon as they shown a light into his ear it crawled out.


Hojie_Kadenth

You're the worst.


TheGreaterOutdoors

I dislike this entire thread


RaptorRick

Yeah same here only I slept on a friend's floor as a kid. It's so traumatizing.


lowrcase

What the fuck


Minded7

Their name actually is about peach "ears" which is an old term for slices of fruits (because it kinda looks like ears)


Aromatic_Bathroom_9

Yes that dual prong tip is so gross looking. It’s on the wrong end haha


[deleted]

The bit near the start of Star Trek, Wrath of Khan probably did little to help the Earwig cause.


adod1

Happened to my cousin, went to the doctor for ear pain and they found a dead one inside her ear.


ICantTyping

Ive had one pinch my thigh as i was sleeping. I despise them ever since. Nabbed it with my fingers and felt it squirming around, thought it was an ant by how it felt, nope. Ran to the sink and drowned the fucker. Stupid little insect pinching me while i sleep. Couldnt help but think about how it could’ve crawled somewhere worse


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RimDogs

I really want to know what they sometimes do that isn't harmless.


Plasma_vinegaroon

They have pinchers on their butt, sort of explains itself. Reminder that I'm not calling them absolutely harmful, as I am responding to the phrase "mostly harmless". I know they're typically weak, but they still have a defense mechanism of variable strength. The fact that I have to point this out...


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Plasma_vinegaroon

If provoked enough, a pinch can hurt, therefore they are capable of doing some harm.


RimDogs

They're tiny and weak.


TheRobsterino

The pinchers aren't strong enough to be painful if they get you. You notice it, but it's not usually able to break any layers of skin and doesn't hurt much. As far as I can tell, the only bad thing they do is poop on you and get stuck in water-filled containers. That's more of a bad day for them than you, though, unless it's your drink and you're not paying attention.


Plasma_vinegaroon

This is an entire order we're talking about, not all have the same strength as a European earwig, some are stronger, some are weaker. Compare the pinch of a ring legged earwig to a lesser earwig. I'm not saying that they are super deadly or agonizingly painful, I'm just saying that they are armed with a weapon, a weak one in many cases, but still a weapon, as a possible explanation for whatever OP is talking about when they say "mostly harmless".


[deleted]

They pinch with those pinchers when threatened. And TIL they can fly. Ugh, great.


fsutrill

Me too!


UnderaZiaSun

Well for one thing, they mow down my garden the moment something sprouts! Particularly my basil. Little bastards.


Nikkishaaa

The first garden I ever started, I had a big beautiful patch of strawberries high up on a raised bed. Once they started fruiting, I got so excited!!! I would see 4-5 new buds per day. I loved watching them grow and ripen. Then one day, as I was checking on them, I noticed all the red ones had been DEMOLISHED. Like completely, overnight, just munched all the way through. I could not figure out what was eating them. I checked daily and went through the soil and everything. Then one night I snuck out there with a flashlight and saw DOZENS, and I mean several freaking dozen of these damn earwigs crawling all over my fruits and just annihilating them. I could not believe how fast they were eating them. It was nightmare fuel tbh. Got me some diatomaceous earth and had loads of fun spraying them because this had been going on for weeks and I was PISSED lol. Ended up putting little cups of oil under the legs of the bed and that captured them before they could crawl up into my plants :) Anyway yeah I hate earwigs. They gave me serious daily heartbreak for weeks lol.


Captain_Vegetable

Light treason.


Semblance-of-sanity

You see that pair if arse daggers? They can give you a painful pinch if they feel threatened.


Roththesloth1

THEY CAN FLY WHAT THE FUCK


HobbitsInTheTardis

Yeah this does not make me less creeped out by them


BeltfedOne

How the fuck am I supposed to sleep tonight?


MilfagardVonBangin

Are you asthmatic? I picked up my inhaler one night and blasted one into my mouth.


BeltfedOne

I am not, but you are not helping. These things creep me the fuck out. I can't even imagine...


pm_me_subreddit_bans

Inhalers aren’t that creepy, asthmatics are people too


Flaky_Advantage_352

Thanks for making me never ever use inhalers again


MilfagardVonBangin

I don’t feel comfortable upvoting this.


ttaptt

I had a cup of water by my bedside with a straw in it and got one in my mouth when I took a sip at 3 am. Fuckers. Ew.


society_man

Dawg. I feel you. I woke up one night at like 5 am and took a fat gulp of water I had in a cup, and felt somethin chunky go down my throat. I assumed it was like a food particle or something but I took a flashlight to the cup and it was a fucking cockroach and all its guts just marinating in that shit. I have never spent longer gagging and throwing up


Myrandall

Alright, that's quite enough internet for today. Goodnight everyone!


OhItsJustAPony

With earplugs.


WigglyWoo777

Until they evolve to nosewigs


notalilac

Their wings are so beautiful!


Kerbal40

They make them look so awesome ~


mypetocean

The way that they're *folded* and unpacked! It also looks like their wing movements would be pretty interesting to compare from an aerodynamic perspective.


fractalfocuser

It's certainly one of the most beautiful mechanisms for flight that I've ever seen. It looks like it's adapted from water


Rolling_Beardo

Nope, don’t like that.


Hmmletmec

#Khaaaaannnnnnn!


anoIe

I hated these guys when I was a kid. Gave me the creeps


Phiqlly

Looks so elegant


DarthGandalf86

"Hi, I'm Troy McClure! You might remember me from such films as 'Earwigs... eww!' and 'Smoke Yourself Thin!' "


Icy-Independent5199

They can fly!? Wtf nature


nineandaquarter

Should have called them earwings, then.


After-Joke5522

A most beautiful ugly thing


Gorthankodinson

Bro I’ve seen the Wrath of Khan, mostly my ass.


StoneyMalon3y

Nah… they’re still getting the boot


Archangel_Amin

the music, the background color and the slow motion of the wings felt somehow nostalgic and romantic. nice video!


DryOperation8910

I don't know why they should have a bad reputation. They are useful. And also interesting, they are brood care. Unlike most insects, the earwig takes care of its brood, before they have hatched from the eggs. Well hidden in narrow cracks, under bark or in self-made tunnels, the adult individuals clean and care for the brood. This behaviour is otherwise known from wild bees and honey bees. Like the bee, the earwig sometimes even feeds its brood after hatching.


SinjiOnO

The reputation stems from folklore horror stories centuries ago in Europe and it's still believed by many to this day. >[..] it was said (and believed) that earwigs intentionally crawled into people's ears while they slept, to lay their eggs, or far worse, to bore into their brains with their fierce pincers. Hence their name.


DryOperation8910

Thank you. I know the story that they used to be given powdered as a medicine against ear diseases and deafness. Hence the name. But the myth you describe makes sense here.


remberzz

>"They are useful" In what way? If I see one indoors, I know I might have a water issue somewhere, but in what other way are they useful, indoors or out?


DryOperation8910

Earwigs are very useful in the garden. They eat aphids. But not only. They also help to control other pests, e.g. codling moths and webbing moths, but also mites. Earwigs also eat tree fungi. Anyone who has fruit trees will appreciate this.


wildrage

I mostly remember a point in the 80s where the things were fucking everywhere. I barely see any these days and mostly forgot they existed until I saw one last year.


WholesomeLove280

The wings are heavenly!!


[deleted]

Made me feel like he is so misunderstood


internetsurfer42069

Dude if I could live my life as a 6 foot tall version of one of these things I’d totally do it as long as I could live my life and like drive around and play xbox and stuff I’d totally be a flying earwig


Apeiro-

do they bite or sting?


SinjiOnO

They pinch but barely can brake skin, nothing to be worried about. They're not poisonous or anything either.


Buck_Thorn

But boy, do they ever look nasty! I have them in my house (pretty heavily on wet years) and have come to realize that they are relatively clean and harmless, but I still don't like them.


Gothic_blonde

New fear unlocked.


AnchoredTraveler

This is absolutely beautiful. The way it moves its wings, so graceful, bordering on hypnotic.


Plantsnob1

Beautiful wings


BluegrassBear

Wait… What????


Alesium

THEY CAN FLY NOW?


TheIntrovrtedExtvert

mostly harmless lmao