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Saturday, November 3, 2012

Earwig Nest?

**Note: if you need a refresher on earwigs, go to my first post about earwigs.

I often find earwigs burrowed under flower pots, but I'm not certain if the holes are nests for young or simply resting places during the day. I've looked but haven't spied any eggs, and usually the holes are covered by the next day.

I discovered this hole a few weeks back. The earwig didn't care to have its picture taken and instead disappeared inside.

Then sometimes I'll find a male and female together. I suppose males and females could rest in the daytime together, or maybe these two had mated or were courting each other prior to mating. I don't remember seeing a hole nearby.
Notice the male's cerci are very far apart, perhaps in an aggressive/defensive posture.

Yesterday I uncovered a male and female near a hole. After taking a few shots, I left them, and then returned several minutes later. When I did so, they both scurried into the "nest," the male climbing over the female, perhaps to protect their young? Yet I remember reading that only the female takes care of the eggs and larvae...
Interestingly, the female was the first to enter the hole. Was the male standing guard, in case I attacked them?
Then the male climbed inside on top of the female. Either he was trying to save himself or he was protecting the female. I wonder if the female was protecting something beneath her?

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