Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera and are found throughout the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders.
Phosphorescent paint is commonly called glow-in-the-dark paint. It is made from phosphors such as silver-activated zinc sulfide or doped strontium aluminate, and typically glows a pale green to greenish-blue color.
The sight was designed so that the short-term glow of the photoluminescence paint would aid in transitional lighting situations (such as when immediately entering a dark room from a lighted environment). The tritium lamps provide a long-term glow.