Earwigs
Ever see an earwig? According to folk stories, these ugly and frightening insects, with their hooked tails, burrow into a person’s brain via the ear canal and lay their eggs. It is the kind of story that could make for a good thriller, don’t you think? We could call the movie, “March of the Earwigs,” something akin to “The Birds” of Alfred Hitchcock.
Why such bizarre thoughts on such a lovely day? Well, I began my day with trying to drown an earwig that was in the bathtub. Down the drain he went, never to return (we hope). However, earwigs love damp condition, so chances are he will just find a mate, down the drain, and an army of them will return.
From my Entymology class at UNH, I do remember that earwigs are “chewing insects.” They mainly eat vegetation, the more decayed the better, as I recall. One less well known fact is that they will chew on clothing and textiles, as will other insects like silverfish. Cockroaches have been known to inhabit the battings of old quilts. At one documentation day, an unsuspecting documenter was beset by lot of the little cucarachas. It is always good to periodically check and clean those dark closets where you may be storing quilts. It is always a good idea NOT to store quilts in the attic or basement.
The Wikipedia file on earwigs, is interesting. I recall the professor saying that insects sometimes have exoskeletons, that is, they wear their armor (the equivalent of bones) on the outside. That is why “bugs” like hornets are so difficult to kill.
Of all the beings in the natural world, I do believe that I despise earwigs the most. Even spiders are a step up, in my estimation. Read the wiki on them and you will find out more than you ever knew you wanted to know.
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
