Common Earwig Forficula auricularia

There are 7 species of Earwig in the UK, 4 native and 3 introduced. They look similar. The Common Earwig, also called the European Earwig, is the largest, growing to 12-16mm long, and by far the most likely to be seen.

Earwigs are nocturnal, hiding in soil or crevices by day and scavenging dead plant or animal material at night. Females, shown above, have pincers only slightly curving; males have larger and much more roundly curved pincers. Unusually for insects, females guard their eggs and young.