Silent Spring for the giant earwig? The notes of Dr Leleup

[Hans Henderickx]

Fabian,

Dr Leleup, the last collector of the giant earwig, made very precise notes
of every single entomological finding he did on this expedition to St.
Helena. These findings were published in a four book encyclopedia of 1590
pages + plates named 'La faune terrestre de l'île de Sainte-Hélène'
(Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika - Tervuren, Belgie, Annalen, serie
in-8 Sciences Zoologiques'

A year before he died Dr Leleup personally handed me his handwritten notes
(diaries) of this expedition, with very precise details concerning the giant
earwig. An example:

"1/II/1967, (on the road to Horse Tail) "la ferme de Longwood. Le contre
maître nous ayant déconseillé de faire monter de la main d'oevre, aujourdhui
a eau de pluie insistante, ...,  Jeanne, Jean et moi trouvent chacun deux
Labidura géantes (Jean 1male et une femelle), moi 2 mâles, dont 1 ... 68 mm
de longeur et dont les cerques atteignent 24 mm."

Dr Leleup told me this earwig occupies a narrow ecological niche and is hard
to find, but he presumed the species still to be present.

Regards,

Hans Henderickx