Second paragraph of third chapter:
As if all this isn’t enough to ensure universal revulsion for these little creatures, there is an old superstition that earwigs favour sneaking into our ears while we sleep, presumably the origin of their name. I imagine that they might well have occasionally sought shelter in old-fashioned wigs too, though it is thought that the ‘wig’ part comes from an old word for ‘wiggle’. Lurid stories whispered in the school playground tell of unfortunate souls who were driven mad by an earwig lodged deep inside their ear, incessantly wriggling and tickling. In more elaborate versions the earwig lays eggs and rears her offspring inside, or even burrows into the brain for a snack. For all of these reasons, earwigs are almost universally loathed and even feared. Little wonder, then, that the Earwig Preservation Trust has yet to be founded.⁸
⁸ Sadly, should the EPT ever be created, it will be too late for the giant earwig of St Helena, the world’s largest earwig species which came in at a smidge over 8cm long, with a truly whopping set of pincers which made up about one-third of its body length. It lived in deep burrows among nesting seabird colonies on this remote Atlantic island, and the females were said to be devoted mothers. Unfortunately most of the seabirds have been wiped out by invasive rodents, which may also have eaten the earwigs. The last living specimen of this gigantic beast was seen in 1967, fifty years ago as I write. Rest in peace, giant earwig.
Following on from The Silent Earth, another impassioned plea by Dave Goulson for nature, and for insects in particular, this time looking specifically at gardening and agriculture, and what we can do to boost sustainability and biodiversity in our own backyards. As usual there are telling anecdotes about his own engagement, and about individual species which make their own contributions to a healthy natural environment. It’s a delight, and also a comfort for those of us who don’t do a lot of active gardening – letting it grow is actually quite a good thing to do. You can get The Garden Jungle here.
This was my top unread book acquired in 2023. Next on that pile is British Summertime, by Paul Cornell.
