My European Earwig

December 6, 2025

Sample information
Picture
Photos by: Maryam K.
Location
Collection date 09/04/2025
Captive / Cultivated? Wild-caught
Group Benedictine University
Observations

The insect has a long, flattened brown body with noticeable pincer-like cerci at the end of the abdomen. It has short forewings, long antennae, and was found hiding under tree bark, which is a common habitat for earwigs.
Putative identification Arthropoda Insecta Dermaptera Forficulidae Forficula Forficula auricularia

Methods
Extraction kit container
DNA extraction location Abdomen
Single or Duplex PCR Single Reaction
Gel electrophoresis system agarose gel electrophoresis
Buffer TAE
DNA stain SYBR Safe
Gel images
Protocol notes

In Lane 2, which contained my European earwig (Forficula auricularia) sample, the gel showed a clear insect DNA band, indicating that the DNA extraction and PCR amplification were successful. No Wolbachia band was present in this lane, showing that my specimen did not test positive for Wolbachia infection. These results demonstrate that my sample contained amplifiable insect DNA but lacked detectable Wolbachia DNA.

Results
Wolbachia presence No
Confidence level High
Explanation of confidence level

My BLAST results showed 100% query cover, 100% percent identity, and an E-value of 0.0 for all top matches. Because every metric was 100% and aligned perfectly with Forficula auricularia, my identification is fully confirmed with complete confidence.
Wolbachia 16S sequence
Arthropod COI sequence Download FASTA    Download AB1
ATTTAAGTTCCGGTCCGTCAAAAGCATAGTGATAGCCCCTGCCAATACTGGCAAAGAAAGCAACAATAAAAGAGCAGTAA TGGCTACGGATCATACAAACAACGGTATTCGTTCCAGCTTAAGGCCCGATGGGCGCATATTAATCACCGTTGTGATAAAA TTAATTGCCCCCAAAATTGATGAAATCCCTGCCAAATGCAATGAAAAAATACTCAAATCTACCGAAGCCCCTGCGTGGGC GATGGCCCCCGACAAAGGGGGGTAAACTGTCCAACCTGTACCAGCTCCTCTATCTACCATACTCCCAGAAAGCAAAAGCA TAAGCGAAGGGGGTAGTAACCAAAAACTCATGTTGTTTATTCGGGGAAAGGCCATATCTGGGGCTCTCAACATCAAAGGT ACCAGTCAATTCCCAAAACCTCCAATCATAATAGGCATTACCATAAAAAAAATCATTACAAAAGCATGGGCCGTAACAAT TACATTATAAATTTGATCATCTCCGATTAAAGCTCCAGGTTGGCCCAATTCTGCCCGAATCAACAAGCTCAATGAAGTCC CCACTATTCCTGATCAAGCCCCAAATACAAAATATAAAGTTCCAATATCTT
BLAST at The Wolbachia Project   BLAST at NCBI
Summary The Forficula auricularia was found to be negative for Wolbachia.
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