Earwigs are not normally associated with flowers, but they can occasionally hide in the flower buds if they provide enough dark end enclosed space to hide in. This one did not manage to completely hide because this bud is healthy and still well enclosed with leaves. Some other flower buds were badly damaged by slugs – hollowed out in the middle – and those were positively filled with earwigs to the brim.
I do not know why many people fear earwigs, they are completely harmless and very shy animals. When disturbed, their only worry is to scamper off somewhere secluded and dark as soon as possible. They do not climb into ears to eat our brains, but they do eat mites and aphids, so they are an asset in the garden.
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
© Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
The abdomen is actually rather stylish. The rich reddish brown colour suits the critter.
For a time in my 20s I tried to literally take the advice to stop and smell the roses, and I stopped doing that when an earwig ran across my face. Maybe he wasn’t gunning for my earhole, but yuck, man. Yuck.
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