Help! My 8-year-old was bitten by this strange bug, and I’m really worried. My sister-in-law nearby has seen similar ones. Any idea what it is?
You felt it—the sharp intake of breath, the small hand tugging your sleeve. Your child’s voice, thin with worry: “Mama, something bit me.”And there it was: a curious little pinch on their arm. Nearby, a strange-looking bug—small, dark, with pincers like tiny tongs—crawled slowly away. Your heart leapt. What if it’s dangerous? What if it’s poisonous?
But here’s what the quiet wisdom of old gardeners and gentle pediatricians wants you to know:
This little creature is almost certainly an earwig—and it means no harm.