Earwig and eggs. Female earwig (order Dermaptera) guarding her eggs. Earwigs can have 2 broods a year, each containing between 30 and 55 eggs. The egg

---

Earwig and eggs. Female earwig (order Dermaptera) guarding her eggs. Earwigs can have 2 broods a year, each containing between 30 and 55 eggs. The eggs are laid in shady moist soil and hatch in around 70 days. The female guards them during this time and frequently cleans them with her mouthparts to prevent fungal infection. Once hatched she will continue to care for them until their first molt when they will be large enough to fend for themselves. Photographed in Bilsa Reserve, Mache-Chindul mountains, Ecuador.

---

Size: 4902px × 3590px
Photo credit: © DR MORLEY READ/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: america, american, animal, bilsa, biological, biology, brood, caring, ceri, clutch, dermaptera, earwig, ecuador, egg, eggs, fauna, female, guarding, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, mache-chindul, mother, mountains, nature, nest, pincers, protecting, reserve, soil, south, tropical, wildlife, zoological, zoology