Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) are mainly vegetarian, eating a wide range of living and dead plant material, but also taking some insect food, they particularly enjoy the flowers and young leaves of dahlia, clematis and chrysanthemum, other plants may also be damaged.

Earwigs are largely nocturnal, hiding under loose bark and in other crevices by day. Both sexes can fly, but rarely do so. Female looks after her eggs and young and family groups are often disturbed under flower pots and other objects in the garden. Young earwigs always have straight, slender pincers. The white or cream earwigs that are often unearthed in the garden are not different species; simply individuals that have just changed their skins. 

Physical attributes: 10-15mm, excluding the pincers. The latter are 4-9mm in the male, strongly curved and with a flat base. Female pincers are 4-5mm and almost straight. The body is shiny brown, with the hindwings projecting as short triangles from under the short forewings.

Controls
Trap earwigs by placing upturned flower pots loosely stuffed with hay or straw on canes among plants being attacked. Check the pots each morning and remove the earwigs. This may not protect plants when earwigs are abundant, but it will provide a useful check on population numbers.

Before resorting to chemicals remember that earwigs can be of benefit in the garden by eating small insect pests and their eggs. If damage is extensive, you can spray with bifenthrin at dusk when earwigs are likely to be active.