The name earwig comes from a superstition that the insects would enter the ears of a sleeping person and tunnel into the brain. Fortunately, this is not true. Earwigs are not a major pest; however they do feed on flowers and can be a nuisance inside homes. Unusually wet springs and summers tend to intensify earwig infestations. There are approximately 22 species of earwigs in the USA. The major earwig species in the northern region of the USA is the European earwig, Forficula auriculari.