Labidura riparia
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Labidura riparia is a species of earwig in the family Labiduridae characterized by their modified cerci as forceps, and light tan color. They are commonly known as the shore earwig, tawny earwig, riparian earwig, or the striped earwig due to two dark longitudinal stripes down the length of the pronotum. They are sometimes wrongly referred to as Labidura japonica, although said species is actually a subspecies, Labidura riparia japonica, found from Japan and India to Papua New Guinea. L. riparia are a cosmopolitan species primarily in tropical to subtropical regions. Body size varies greatly, ranging from 16 mm to 30 mm, with 10 abdominal segments. Males and females differ in forcep size, with males having much larger and stronger curve, while females have smaller, straighter forceps with a slight curve at the end. Earwigs use these forceps to assist in predation, defense, sexual selection, courtship and mating, and wing folding.
L. riparia are a subsocial earwig with complex maternal habits. They are voracious predators, and highly regarded as efficient for pest control in many situations. Repugnitory glands in the earwigs cause them to secrete a foul smelling pheromone to deter predators, which is said to smell like decomposition.
Males of this species have two penises in which they can use interchangeably. Individuals have a preference on which they dominantly use though. Just like humans’ limb dexterity, L. riparia have a 90% prevalence of “right-handed” penises. This unequal proportion is unique to this species compared to all other earwigs, and may have a relationship with the spermatheca location on females. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Shore Earwig sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 982nd most-seen of the 1624 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Shore Earwig in Austin on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Shore Earwig sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
15th of 18
Of the 18 cities where we can rate Shore Earwig sightings, Austin ranks 15th at under 5%. The best odds are in Cairo (Egypt, about 10%), Seoul (South Korea, about 10%) and Osaka (Japan, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Shore Earwig is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
