Labidura ripariaCommon name: Common Brown Earwig

Meaning of name: The meaning of Labidura is not known. Riparia is from the Latin word ripa, meaning the bank of a stream, referring to its preferred habitat of dark, moist areas.

Distribution: Found around the world but usually in tropical or subtropical areas.

Remarks: This earwig was approximately 22 millimetres long to the end of its pincers. Labidura riparia are predators that eat insects and scavenged meat. The mothers clean and guard their 60 – 100 eggs and feed the young for the first 2 – 5 days after hatching.

We have photographed this earwig in December.

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labidura_riparia

Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:c5e41e53-e526-4b6a-b9ae-a856c54a8335#overview

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