Do Earwigs Get into Your Ears?

No, earwigs don’t have a specific agenda for people’s ears. They are just as likely as any other small bug to accidentally enter a person’s ears but it’s not because they are attracted to ears. The reason you hear this myth is due to how the earwig came to be known as the earwig.

Many people believe that the name of this bug comes from old folklores that earwigs burrow into the brains of humans by entering through the ears. Entomologists, on the other hand, believe these bugs got their name because of their unique hindwings, which resemble the appearance of a human ear when unfolded.

Regardless of what you would like to believe, you should be happy to hear that earwigs don’t purposely climb into people’s ears. Yes, there could be the rare anecdotal reports of people finding the bugs in their ears but this is in the rarity.

Earwigs are fairly harmless insects despite having intimidating pincers. There are a number of home remedies that may help control earwigs at home if you would like to get rid of them safely.