Are earwigs dangerous or poisonous to humans?
Because of their intimidating pincers or forceps protruding from the abdomen, earwigs might appear to be a dangerous bug. This is a misconception. Earwigs can use their forceps to grasp onto a finger if agitated, but earwigs do not sting nor are they dangerous. They have no venom so earwigs are not poisonous.
In the insects can injure people by biting, such as a mosquito or bed bug. They can also sting by inserting a modified ovipositor or egg laying tube from the abdomen. This means that only females can sting and sometimes stings are dangerous or fatal if the insect stinger or ovipositor has venom. Venom is used to neutralize predators but can be used to neutralize prey as well. Another way that insects can injure people is by physically harming them which is a pretty rare phenomenon. Earwigs are one of the relatively few insects which can cause pain by pinching rather than stinging or biting. There is no stinger and there is no venom or poison sac.
The physical act of pinching using the forceps might cause some discomfort and might even break the skin in rare cases, but there is no chance of disease transmittal. If the skin is broken, it is best to treat it as any scratch which may be exposed to germs in the soil. Use an antibiotic cream or lotion to make sure that the scratch does not become infected.
Perhaps the most danger is to garden plants as earwigs, depending on the species, like to feed on seedlings.
There are no known injuries requiring emergency treatment due to earwigs. And the folklore that they can get into your ears and lay eggs or enter the brain is not true.
What does an earwig infestation look like?
Why do I have earwigs in my apartment or home?
Do earwigs have wings and do they fly?
How do I control earwigs and will they hurt house plants?
How do I exterminate or get rid of earwigs?
How do I keep earwigs out of my house?
What are the difference
-between an Earwig and a Cockroach
-between Earwigs and Silverfish