Euborellia arcanum
Euborellia arcanum
Mothers of this species exhibit remarkable maternal care, diligently grooming their eggs to protect them from lethal fungal infections.
- Scientific name
- Euborellia arcanum
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Dermaptera › Anisolabididae › Euborellia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Damp leaf litter, rotting logs, under stones, and rich organic soil.
- Diet
- Omnivorous, feeding on decaying organic matter, fungi, and small soft-bodied invertebrates.
- Range
- Europe, North America, East Asia
- Size
- 10-15 mm
- Lifespan
- 1-2 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Pesticide application, soil compaction, and loss of natural leaf litter layers.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These earwigs are defensive and may pinch with their cerci if handled, but they lack venom and cannot cause serious harm. Keep a respectful distance of a few inches. If pinched, wash the area with soap and water to prevent secondary infection.
Photo: Elias Freyhof, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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