Earwigs can enter your ear, but it’s uncommon and they don’t burrow into your brain. The old myth that earwigs crawl inside ears to lay eggs or tunnel into the skull has no basis in reality. That said, documented medical cases confirm it does occasionally happen. A case published in the journal Cureus captured the first video evidence of an earwig crawling inside a human ear canal, found in a 24-year-old man who woke up with ringing and pain in his left ear. The earwig was removed with forceps, and his ear was completely unharmed.
Where the Myth Comes From
The word “earwig” itself fuels the fear. It traces back to Old English, roughly translating to “ear creature.” The superstition that earwigs would crawl into sleeping people’s ears, lay eggs, and bore into the brain has persisted for centuries. None of that is physically possible. An earwig cannot penetrate the eardrum, and it certainly cannot reach the brain. The ear canal is a short, dead-end tube blocked by the eardrum, which is tough enough to stop a small insect from going any further.
Why It Sometimes Happens Anyway
Earwigs are nocturnal insects that spend their days hiding in dark, tight, moist spaces: under bark, inside cracks in walls, beneath rocks, or in damp bathroom corners. They’re strongly attracted to moisture and confined areas. A human ear canal, warm and dark, fits the general profile of the kind of crevice an earwig might wander into by accident, especially while someone is sleeping on the ground or in a room with an active earwig population.
This isn’t targeted behavior. Earwigs aren’t seeking out ears specifically. Clinicians who treat foreign bodies in the ear canal see insects fairly regularly, and cockroaches are actually more common culprits than earwigs. Any small insect active at night can end up in an ear by chance.
They Cannot Lay Eggs in Your Ear
Earwigs lay their eggs in soil, under debris, or in other cool, damp ground-level hiding spots. The female typically guards her eggs and tends to the young after they hatch. A human ear canal doesn’t provide the conditions earwigs need for reproduction. There are no documented cases of earwigs laying eggs inside a person’s ear.
Can Their Pincers Cause Damage?
Earwigs have curved pincers (called cerci) at the end of their abdomen, which they use for defense and capturing small prey. These pincers can pinch human skin hard enough to occasionally break it and draw a small amount of blood. Inside the ear canal, the skin is thin and sensitive, so a pinch would be painful. However, the pincers aren’t strong enough to puncture the eardrum. In the documented case of the 24-year-old patient, examination after removal showed no damage to either the ear canal or the eardrum, and his hearing tested normal.
What It Feels Like
If any insect gets trapped in your ear canal, the symptoms are hard to miss. The most common sensations include sharp ear pain, loud buzzing or scratching sounds, ringing (tinnitus), and a feeling of fullness or pressure. Some people experience dizziness or even a brief cough, because a nerve in the ear canal connects to the throat. Once trapped, insects tend to move erratically, which amplifies the pain and creates distressing sounds that feel much louder than you’d expect from something so small. Anxiety is a nearly universal response.
What to Do if It Happens
The first goal is to stop the insect from moving. Tilt your head so the affected ear faces up, then slowly pour a small amount of mineral oil, olive oil, or baby oil into the ear canal. This suffocates the insect and usually stops the movement within a minute or two. Mineral oil is the most effective option. Avoid using water, which can cause some insects to swell or move more frantically.
Once the insect stops moving, tilt your head the other way and let the oil drain out. The insect may come out with it. If it doesn’t, or if you’re unsure whether it’s fully out, have a healthcare provider look inside with a scope and remove it with small forceps or suction. Don’t try to dig it out with a cotton swab, tweezers, or anything else on your own. Pushing deeper can damage the ear canal or eardrum.
Keeping Earwigs Out of Your Home
The most effective prevention targets what attracts earwigs in the first place: moisture, darkness, and easy entry points. Fix leaking pipes and faucets, and use a dehumidifier in damp basements or crawlspaces. Make sure gutters and downspouts direct water away from your foundation rather than pooling near it.
Pull mulch and soil back at least 12 to 18 inches from your home’s exterior walls. Remove piles of wet leaves, grass clippings, and decaying plant material regularly. These are prime daytime hiding spots, and the closer they are to your house, the more likely earwigs will find their way inside.
Seal cracks in your foundation and walls, install door sweeps, and check that window screens fit tightly. Earwigs have flat bodies and can slip through surprisingly small gaps. Replacing bright white outdoor lights with yellow LED bulbs also helps, since earwigs are drawn to light at night and will gather near illuminated doors and windows. If you bring firewood, potted plants, or newspapers inside, give them a quick inspection first. Earwigs frequently hitchhike on items stored outdoors.
If you’re finding earwigs inside regularly, it typically signals a moisture problem somewhere in or around the house. Solving that underlying issue does more than any trap or spray.