Silent Spring for the giant earwig?

[Ken Kinman]

I think it is still premature to write off the giant earwig as extinct.  My understanding is that none were collected between its discovery in 1798 and the specimens found in the 1960's.  In spite of its size, maybe this species is just particularly elusive for some reason.  Although expeditions (such as those in 1988 and 2003) failed to find it, who knows if this species may still be hanging in there (like the ivory-billed woodpecker).  In any case, maybe it will help save some of the other 200 endemic invertebrate species on the island by delaying, modifying, or even preventing plans on constructing a controversial airport.  If tourists are too lazy to go there by boat, maybe they should just go elsewhere (where the wildlife has already been exterminated anyway).
  -----Ken Kinman