Maritime Earwigs live by the ocean, but they don't go in the water. They work the coastline, sweeping the sandy beaches for food.
The habitat of the Maritime Earwig is uncommon for most insects. The close proximity to bays and the coast would be risky considering insects usually drown if they get caught in water. This species does not swim, but it hunts along the wet sand for insects to eat. They hunt at night, walking the beach for small insects, their eggs and any dead arthropods that drifted onshore. It is most often seen in areas around high tide, making it almost seaworthy for an insect.
Females will lay their eggs under driftwood or pieces of bark found on the sand. They guard these burrows and, when the eggs hatch, they feed their young until they reach maturity and leave.
This hardy little insect is active as long as the temperature isn't below freezing. They can tolerate cold that most other insects take shelter or die from.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Dermaptera
Family:Carcinophoridae
Genus:Anisolabis
Species:maritima
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Anisolabis maritima
Other Name(s): Seaside Earwig
Category:
Earwig
Size (Adult; Length): 16mm to 25mm (0.62in to 0.98in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: brown; orange; black
