Forficula auricularia: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the forficula auricularia lives – recorded in 18 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Forficula auricularia
Group	Grasshoppers, bugs & other insects
Found in	18 countries
Continents	Europe, North America, Oceania
Class	Insect
Order	Dermaptera
Family	Forficulidae

Where does the forficula auricularia live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the forficula auricularia in 18 countries and territories across Europe, North America and Oceania. In France, Portugal it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

What kind of animal is the forficula auricularia?

The forficula auricularia (Forficula auricularia) is an insect in the order Dermaptera and the family Forficulidae, genus Forficula. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the forficula auricularia

Forficula auricularia is a species complex comprising the common earwig. It is also known as the European earwig. It is an omnivorous insect belonging to the family Forficulidae. The name earwig comes from the appearance of the hindwings, which are unique in their resemblance to human ears when unfolded. The species name of the common earwig, auricularia, is a specific reference to this feature. The European earwig survives in a variety of environments. It is also a common household insect in North America. They are often considered a household pest because of their tendency to invade crevices in homes and consume pantry foods, though they may also act as beneficial species depending on the circumstances.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Forficula auricularia (revision 1372541835), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q2537221 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).