Ring-Legged Earwig Identification Guide
Euborellia annulipes
The ring-legged earwig is a small, wingless, dark brown earwig with pale legs marked by dark bands. It is common across the southern U.S. and turns up in Virginia and Maryland homes and gardens.
Taxonomy
Ring-Legged Earwig Coloration
Common color patterns to help identify ring-legged earwig
Ring-Legged Earwig
Seasonal Activity
When ring-legged earwig are most active throughout the year
Where Ring-Legged Earwig Are Found
Hover over states to see their names. Green regions indicate where ring-legged earwig have been reported.
Ring-Legged Earwig Identification Guide
The ring-legged earwig is a small, dark earwig with no wings. It is named for the dark rings on its pale legs. It is common in the southern U.S. and also turns up farther north, including Virginia and Maryland. Our main earwigs guide covers the whole group. This page shows how to spot this one species.
Physical Characteristics
- Size: Adults are about 1/2 to 2/3 inch long (12 to 16 mm). Females are a bit larger than males on average.
- Color: The body is dark brown to nearly black and shiny. The shield behind the head is often a little lighter.
- Wings: None. Adults have no wing covers and no hind wings. This is the fastest way to tell it from most other earwigs.
- Legs: Six pale, whitish to tan legs. Most have a dark band around the middle of the thigh, and often a second band lower on the leg.
- Antennae: Long and thread-like, with about 16 segments. A few segments near the tip are often pale, which gives the antennae a banded look.
- Forceps (cerci): Males have curved forceps, and the right one turns sharply inward at the tip. Females have straighter forceps that run close together.
Young earwigs (nymphs) look like small adults. They have dark heads and bodies, a lighter shield behind the head, and the same ringed legs.
How It Differs From Look-Alikes
- European earwig: The most common earwig in the Mid-Atlantic. It has short tan wing covers, a reddish head, and plain pale legs with no bands. The ring-legged earwig has no wing covers at all.
- Striped earwig (Labidura riparia): Larger and paler, with dark stripes along the back. It lives mostly in sandy soils in the South.
- Doru earwigs (Doru species): Common in Florida. They have wings and tan bands on the shield and wing covers.
- Rove beetles: Also long and dark with a bare abdomen, but they have short wing covers and no forceps at the tail.
- Silverfish: Silverfish have three thin bristles at the tail, not forceps, and silver scales instead of a shiny shell.
Ring-Legged Earwig Behavior and Biology
Origin and Range
The ring-legged earwig likely came from Europe. It has spread around the world in potted plants and soil. It was first found in the United States in 1884. Today it is widespread in the southern states and Hawaii. California, Texas, and Florida have the most records. It also shows up in some northern states and southern Canada. These finds are often near greenhouses. In our area, records come from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
Habitat
Ring-legged earwigs hide by day and come out at night. They need damp, tight spaces. Common hiding spots include:
- Under rocks, boards, pavers, and flowerpots
- In mulch, leaf litter, and loose soil
- In the soil of potted plants and greenhouse benches
- Along damp foundations, patios, and crawl spaces
Because they cannot fly, they stay close to the ground. Inside, you will usually find them on the floor of basements, garages, and first-floor rooms near doors.
Diet
This earwig eats both plants and animals. It is a strong hunter. It feeds on caterpillars, beetle larvae, leafhoppers, and sowbugs. It also eats dead plant matter. In gardens and greenhouses, it may nibble lettuce, seedlings, and roots or tubers such as radishes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Adults will also eat eggs and young of their own kind.
Life Cycle
Like other earwigs, the female cares for her eggs.
- Eggs: The female digs a small chamber in the soil. She lays clutches of about 40 to 50 creamy white eggs. Over her life, she may lay 100 to 300 eggs.
- Egg care: She guards the eggs and cleans them to keep off mold and mites. They hatch in about one to two and a half weeks.
- Nymphs: Young earwigs pass through five stages, sometimes six. The mother stays with them for about a week after they hatch.
- Adults: One generation can take about two months in warm conditions. Adults can live more than 200 days.
In warm climates there are likely at least two generations a year, in spring and fall. Farther north, adults move deep into the soil for winter. In heated greenhouses they can stay active all year.
Defensive Behavior
When disturbed, a ring-legged earwig raises its tail and swings its forceps forward. It may pinch a finger if handled, but it cannot do real harm. Most of the time it simply runs for the nearest crack.
How We Treat for Ring-Legged Earwigs
Our regular home pest plans cover ring-legged earwigs. They cannot fly, so they crawl in from damp soil and mulch near the house. That is why we start outside.
- Inspection: We look for the damp spots these earwigs need. Common ones are thick mulch against the foundation, leaky spigots, poor drainage, wet crawl spaces, and stacks of pots or boards. We also check for gaps under doors and along the base of the house.
- Treatment: We apply an EPA-registered insecticide around the outside of the foundation. In mulch beds and damp soil, we may use a granular product when activity is heavy. Inside, we treat cracks, baseboards, and other spots where earwigs are getting in or hiding.
- Prevention and customer guidance: We show you how to cut down moisture and hiding spots. Pull mulch back a few inches from the house. Fix drainage and move pots and boards off the ground. Check new potted plants before you bring them inside. Our TriGuard plan includes three visits a year. If earwigs come back between visits, callbacks are unlimited and free.
For do-it-yourself steps, see our guides on how to kill earwigs and earwig traps. If you only see one or two indoors, sweep or vacuum them up and seal the gap they came through.
References
Other Earwigs
Explore other species in the earwigs family
Commonly Confused With
Ring-Legged Earwig are often mistaken for these similar pests
Where Ring-Legged Earwig Are Found
Hover over states to see their names. Green regions indicate where ring-legged earwig have been reported.
Common Questions about Ring-Legged Earwig
How do I know if I have a ring-legged earwig?
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Look for a dark brown to nearly black earwig about 1/2 to 2/3 inch long with no wing covers. Its legs are pale with a dark band around the middle of each thigh. If the earwig has short tan wing covers, it is more likely a European earwig.
Can ring-legged earwigs fly?
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No. Ring-legged earwigs have no wings at all, so they cannot fly. They get around by crawling, and they often travel to new places in potted plants, soil, and mulch.
Are ring-legged earwigs harmful?
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Not to people or homes. They may pinch if you pick one up, but the pinch is weak. They do not sting, spread disease, or eat wood. In gardens, they nibble a little on soft plants and roots, but they also eat many other insects.
How can I tell a male from a female?
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Check the forceps at the tail. Males have curved forceps, and the right one turns sharply inward at the tip. Females have straighter forceps that sit close together. Males also show more segments on the abdomen.
Do ring-legged earwigs live in Virginia and Maryland?
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Yes. They are most common in the southern states, but there are records from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. In our area, the European earwig is still the one people find most often.
Why do ring-legged earwigs come indoors?
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They follow moisture. Dry spells, heavy rain, and damp crawl spaces push them toward the house. They often come in through gaps at ground level or ride in on potted plants. Our guide to earwigs in the house covers common entry points.
Do ring-legged earwigs damage gardens?
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Usually only a little. They may chew lettuce, seedlings, and roots or tubers like radishes and potatoes. Most of what they eat is dead plant matter and other bugs, so the damage is often outweighed by the pests they eat.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that's been protecting homes for over 58 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area.
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