Earwigs are insects belonging to the order Dermaptera. Most earwigs feed on decaying plant matter but some species are predatory and feed on a variety of other insects. They can be easily identified by their forceps-like pincers (cerci), which they use for defense. Many species are wingless and live in the soil or in enclosed spaces. Predatory earwigs will enter plant stems to hunt for stem boring larvae. Usually they hide during daytime and become active at night.
Earwigs can be mass produced in containers with a layer of compost. Some cat food can be provided to feed them. Rearing earwigs is cheap and very easy. It can be easily done by farmers who can mass produce them for their own fields.
