Forficula smyrnensis Audinet-Serville, 1838 found in the Czech Republic: the inconspicuous spread of a conspicuous alien earwig

Abstract

The occurrence of the alien earwig Forficula smyrnensis Audinet-Serville, 1838, which is native in the eastern Mediterranean basin, is reported for the first time in the Czech Republic. The established population was found in the urban deciduous forest in Prague in 2021. During the last decade, the adventive occurrence of this species was also reported from Austria and Italy, and due to its hidden way of life and nocturnal activity, the species may survive unnoticed elsewhere in Central and Western Europe. The spread of F. smyrnensis probably results from accidental, passive introductions by humans. Gastrointestinal tract analysis revealed the prevalence of animal food (cuticle fragments of several unidentified insect species) in the studied specimens of F. smyrnensis. Given its feeding habit and preferred habitats, this species should not cause economic damage and should not directly compete with native Dermaptera species.