Earwigs carry a pair of forceps-like cerci at the tip of the abdomen, which they use to defend themselves, capture prey, and fold their fan-shaped hind wings beneath the short, leathery forewings. Most species are omnivores active at night, sheltering in damp, narrow spaces by day. Females show maternal care that is unusual for insects: they guard their eggs and groom them to prevent fungal growth, then continue to tend the first-instar nymphs. Despite the folklore around their name, earwigs do not seek out human ears.