this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2023
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] waitmarks@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That is actually why they are called earwigs, its an old english word that’s describing the shape of their wings which kind of looks like a human ear.

[–] june@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (3 children)

So you’re telling me it’s NOT because they like to crawl into your ears while you’re asleep?

[–] meanmon13@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

This is blowing my mind right now... Those things gave me nightmares as a kid thinking they crawl into people's ears...

[–] Chailles@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

If you want to lose the solace that fact has provided you, here's another possibly also false but no less comforting bit of trivia:

spoilerLeeches after feeding would love nothing more than a dark, somewhat moist, somewhat warm, somewhat tight environment. Which a human has and is probably something you don't want a leech to get anywhere near, be glad there's no such thing as a Analwig. Oh and land leeches exist.

[–] waitmarks@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

No that’s just an old wives tale.

[–] Oisteink@feddit.nl 1 points 1 year ago

In Norwegian they are called Klypedyr. Literal translation is pinching-animal (although we call it an insect). I always though that was scary as a kid, but I see now my trauma is tiny compared to ear-infesting-wig-wearing thingy. I still don’t like them, but I tolerate them