In the spring, many of you must have seen these scary-looking insects. They are called double-tails for their specific appearance - and indeed, in the back of the insect are two sting-like tail probes. Therefore, sometimes they are called colloquially with tweezers. Is that why the popular belief that the two-tailed bites ?!
To begin with, we will understand - the official name of such an insect is an ordinary earwig. It belongs to the order Skin-winged, has facet eyes, mouth organs directed forward, and a pair of antennae. The body of the insect is elongated: it has tongs at the end, but its wings are short. She has nothing to do with real two-tails, but for some reason it is customary for us to call this creature that way. Why is it still believed that the two-tailed bites?
Mainly because of its appearance - this insect does not belong to the category of beautiful ones. Moreover, for many it causes only disgust. Therefore, parents often tell their children in childhood that the two-tailed bites so that the child does not reach for such an eerie insect, and even more so does not seek to bring such a pet from the street to the apartment.
But in adulthood for many, the earwig and its imaginary bites are a clear example of the proverb that fear has large eyes. It is not uncommon among summer residents and vacationers to talk about the giant blisters that the two-tailed supposedly left on the body, the bite of which is painted almost like a deadly one. If you see a trace of it in the photo, it looks really creepy. But if you delve into the essence of the issue, it will actually turn out that actually the two-tailed bites are extremely rare and completely painless. And those huge skin lesions that are mistaken for her bite are actually just an allergic reaction to the components of her saliva. Such redness is not uncommon in many people, but it is enough to consult a specialist so that he prescribed an allergy medication, and the problem is solved.
Earwigs are not predatory insects. Their mouth organs are not meant to bite people. In nature, these insects live in gardens and are fruit and vegetable pests. They gnaw leaves, fruits, flowers and unripe seeds of plants. It is also not uncommon for earwigs to live in apiaries or in forest hives. There they settle in the inter-wall space or in the material insulating the hive and feed on honey, bees and bee bread. This, incidentally, is sometimes the cause of an allergic reaction of a person to an earwig. These insects are predominantly nocturnal. Among earwigs there are several species that are predatory or parasitic, but they are not found in our country.
Therefore, if you see this insect, do not be scared and do not scare, of course, children. Do not try to get rid of him, unless you "avenge" the spoiled crop. Just try not to pay attention to it, drive it away from the body if it has climbed onto your leg or arm. Remember that the only correct answer to the question of whether the two-tailed bites is, of course, negative.
