TECHNIQUES FOR STUDYING THE BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY OF THE EUROPEAN EARWIG, FORFICULA AURICULARIA (DERMAPTERA: FORFICULIDAE)

Abstract
The European earwig is an excellent experimental animal for many laboratory and field studies of insect ecology and behavior, but special rearing, marking, and trapping techniques are required to exploit the insects’ potential fully. This paper describes an artificial nest and associated techniques which reduce rearing mortality below 10%. Methods of studying events in natural nests, and of capturing and marking individuals for population studies, also are described.