Bug FAQLined Earwig
Doru taeniatum · Order: Dermaptera · Family: Forficulidae
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
The lined earwig lives across Central, North and South America. It sometimes enters homes when conditions are right and can be a minor nuisance in gardens or farms.
Source: Wikipedia, blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Is it a pest in the house?
They may wander indoors if the environment is suitable. When they feed on living plant tissue they can be considered pests in gardens and agriculture.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Does it bite or sting?
They rarely pinch people, and when they do it typically does not break the skin. A pinch is unlikely unless the insect is badly mishandled.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
How to get rid of it
Simple trapping often reduces earwig numbers to acceptable levels. In most situations, trying to control earwigs is unnecessary and may cause more harm than good.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Lookalikes
The European earwig is common elsewhere but is unlikely to establish in Florida because of climate. In Florida, six earwig families occur, with the lined earwig being one of the most frequently seen species.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada; native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do lined earwigs bite people?
They may pinch if handled roughly, but the pinch is usually mild and does not break the skin.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Are lined earwigs a household pest?
They can enter homes when conditions are favorable and may be considered a minor nuisance in gardens or farms.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
How can I control lined earwigs?
Trapping often keeps their numbers low, and in most cases active control isn’t needed and could cause more problems.
Source: blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Where are lined earwigs found?
They occur throughout Central, North, and South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Forficulidae)
Sources
- blogs.ifas.ufl.edu: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2024/10/17/the-spooky-bug-brigade-earwigs/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doru_taeniatum
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.