The expert view

“The common earwig is widespread in the UK and most likely to be seen between April and October. These nocturnal omnivores are considered to be pests by some gardeners, because they eat young leaves and the petals of plants, but they are also beneficial because they feed on aphids. The common earwig mates in the autumn and nymphs hatch in the spring. These will shed their outer skin four times as they develop into adults.”

Alan Stubbs is vice president of Buglife