2011 - year of the earwig?

[martyp]

Hi all,
I did a search and couldn't find any similar posts but has anyone else seen a huge increase in earwig numbers this year?
I know you get large numbers of hoverflies/ladybirds etc from time to time, recalling swarms of hoverflies when on the Isle of White when younger and persuading numerous people they weren't wasps. At the time I was just a kid about 12 and I watched a number of people dismantle a huge marquee because of a 'nest of wasps' at the top only to be able to say 'told you so' at the end!
A year or so there seemed to be loads of ground beetles in the house, they seemed to have had a population explosion and you would find them everywhere on their 'last legs' as such.
Definitely this year earwigs are abundant both inside and outside the house, we have a house cat which is constantly watching them (think she may have had the pinch a few times so is a bit cautious!).
We went away to Great Yarmouth a couple of weeks ago and they were in the caravan there as well. I'm positive they have done really well this year as I barely ever saw them for many years unless lifting a stone or something, certainly not every day running round the house.

Anyone else noticed the same or had the similar outbreak of ground beetles a year or so ago?

[Deb London]

Yes, wrote about it last month.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...683-post5.html

Glad someone agrees with me.

[martyp]

Thanks Deb, sorry I didn't see that post.
Where I am in the West Midlands I haven't seen an Orange Tip here ever and moved here from the South East about 10 years ago. I've seen roughly equal numbers of Commas, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells here, not a huge number of Red Admirals I'd say but saw them quite a few times in Norfolk.
There were a strangely large number of Ringlets in the grassy area behind my house, outnumbering Gatekeepers it seemed. Speckled Woods I would definitely say were much more common round here this year similar to the Big Butterfly Count. I'm sure I hadn't noticed any Ringlets there before, although there seemed a few less Common Blues this year. I also saw Small Skippers this year which I hadn't noticed before and a large number of narrow bordered six spot burnets.

[artdemole]

Loads of earwigs noticed lately.Getting in my apples and where they are stored.Lots at night on white window sill near security lamp.

[Jason Green]

Seen them very frequently this year when beating Oak for invertebrates. They could be pretty annoying!