insect order found americas africa australia new_zealand species families smaller insect orders characteristic pair like abdomen wings folded underneath short scientific order skin wings groups tiny parasites mammals lack typical rarely use flying ability nocturnal hide small moist day active night feeding wide variety insects plants damage foliage flowers crops commonly blamed especially common year adults species display maternal care uncommon insects female care eggs hatched continue watch offspring second sexual differences shapes begins specimen fossils extinct dating late orders insect closely related likely etymology scientific order greek origin stemming words meaning skin wing coined common term derived old english means ear means insect literally beetle suggest origin reference appearance unique distinctive insects resemble human ear popularly thought related old wives tale brains humans ear laid eggs known climb external ear canals reports found ear slang meaning attempt influence persistent confidential argument talk distribution abundant found americas common introduced north_america europe tends common southern southwestern parts united_states native species found north united_states spine tailed found far north canada hides leaf emerging plants southern ontario wetlands families found north_america including found survive winter outdoors cold climates found tight woodland fields gardens species occur north_america europe including great_britain australia morphology flattened allows fit inside tight bark elongated body generally millimetres long largest certainly extant species australian giant approximately long possibly extinct saint reached characterized pair like abdomen male generally curved females capture prey defend fold wings short antennae thread like segments short plates cover like beetle fly species short leather like thin species species considered blind today included merely families thin membrane expands like fan point folded wings capable flight rarely seen flight wings unique pattern folding requires use internal system typical insects brain abdominal strong connections connect brain frontal closely related median corpus produces juvenile iii close proximity dorsal digestive system like insects consisting mid- lack specialized species insect long slender found junction mid- hind gut reproductive system females consist paired lateral chamber lateral eggs leave body sperm stored unlike insects opening seventh abdominal segment primitive nurse cells alternate length species long branch lateral short appear life cycle reproduction meaning undergo incomplete developing series developmental stages called live year hatching start mating autumn found autumn winter male female live chamber debris soil deep mating sperm remain female months eggs early spring male leave driven female afterward female begin lay white eggs days parasitic viviparous birth live young fed sort laid eggs white cream colored oval shaped right hatching kidney shaped brown egg approximately tall wide non social insect species maternal care mother pay close attention needs eggs warmth protection studies shown mother pay attention eggs collects mother shown pick wax balls accident eventually rejected proper scent mother vigorously defend eggs predators eating egg goes bad distinct maternal care unique mother continuously eggs protect fungi studies found urge clean eggs days removed eggs replaced hatching mother continued clean months eggs hatch days mother assist hatching hatch eat egg continue live mother look similar parents smaller nest mother continue protect second feed food mother mother dies ready leave eat adults male curved females remain straight develop natural color light brown dark black species winged wings start develop time serve protection behavior nocturnal inhabit small living small amounts debris forms bark fallen logs species found blind living caves reported found island hawaii south_africa food typically consist wide array living dead plant animal matter protection predators species foul yellow liquid form jets scent dorsal fourth abdominal segment aims revolving abdomen maneuver enables simultaneously use defense ecology predatory abdomen flexible muscular capable maneuvering opening closing variety purposes species observed use holding prey tend curved males females common eating plants fruit actively hunting large extent species feeding decaying plant animal matter given chance observed prey include largely plant large insects flies plants feed typically include butterfly bush potatoes roses beans tender grass shoots roots known eat corn silk damaging corn species generally considered living outside animals mainly mammals family species genus normally found deep skin malaysian bulldog bats apparently feeding bats body hand species genus believed feed possibly bat nest found includes found nest long tailed rats found rats generally nocturnal typically hide small dark moist areas daytime usually seen household walls ceilings interaction time results defensive free fall ground followed scramble nearby summer found damp areas near tend gather cracks openings remain concealed daylight people erroneously believe people ears myth crawl ears bite insects picnic tables waste lawn furniture window frames minute spaces potentially harbour predators parasites regularly preyed birds like insect species prey mammals amphibians assassin bugs spiders european observed bats primary insect predators parasitic species flies larvae species fly demonstrated successful biological control century fly parasite shown promise biological control agent common predatory wasp yellow jacket abundant small species known occasionally consumed eggs plant matter species parasitic fungus order found eggs species observed common great feeds live transportation observed scarlet european evolution fossil record starts late early period million years ago england australia comprises specimens extinct traits believed belong modern found earliest fossils adults final segment leg developed long fact stem group insects resemble modern owing shell like large unequal anal fan known north_america europe australia fossils morphological changes took place likely closely resembling related order insects arguments authors linking believed sister remaining groups extinct living extinct segments unlike found fossil known species time order like species fossil record probably older late evidence early evolutionary history structure heart separate organ consisting attached frontal cuticle bases antennae features found insects independent organ exists antenna consisting attached frontal cuticle antenna base forming thin walled sac ventral pump blood elastic tissue muscle molecular studies suggest order sister taxonomy distinguishing characteristics characteristics distinguish order insect orders general body shape flattened head antennae biting type absent compound eyes species reduced absent taxa pairs wings normally present modified short smooth veins abdomen resemble females reduced absent overwhelming majority species grouped families genera including common european species free living functional wings parasites modified large like structures species discovered london body malaysian bulldog bat described 1950s added represents genera total species blind viviparous preferring fur african genera genera total species phylogeny relatively small compared orders species families including extinct extinct families phylogeny debated extant appear support families evidence supported conclusion exclusion instead eliminated recent higher classification following relationship humans fairly abundant found areas world evidence transmit diseases humans animals commonly believed dangerous reality curved males cause little harm humans common myth crawl human ear lay eggs brain debate harmful beneficial crops eat insects eating foliage foliage large population considerable damage common eats wide variety plants wide variety foliage including leaves known cause economic losses fruit vegetable crops examples flowers red corn crops germany south france observed feeding attacked mature plants cup shaped bite marks diameter literature folklore describes feast attended queen writing mice thigh fly discusses belief finding shelter human poem saying following vain talk hopes fears hope reply wing maid stops ears ear rural england called battle present baron poem bad battle blue chamber
Earwig