She is calling them "ear wax". She seen one today and flipped out so bad that she was crying uncontrollably. She kept saying:
"They are called ear wax, because they'll swarm up your arm and into your ears."
I have no idea where she got this idea from! It's just something that she came up with, on her own.
Although I just learn today, right before posting this and after my dd's breakdown, that there is actually an old wives' tale regarding earwigs.
Earwig, is derived from the Old English Δ“are, which means "ear", and wicga, which means "insect." The name comes from the old wives' tale that earwigs burrowed into the brains of humans through the ear and therein lay their eggs.
I know that my DD has never heard of this wives' tale. I just find it interesting that she took the name and reasoned for herself that is why they are called earwaxs I mean earwigs!
What also is interesting is that after her breakdown she seen a spider by our front door and said "Oh look a spider, that's no big deal" and just went about her business. I just don't know what it is about earwigs that freak her out.
Edit Add: I wanted to add this link to a page about Earwigs. Mainly for pictures of what earwigs look like. :)
