Silverfish

Natural Habitat

Damp, dark areas with high humidity such as bathrooms, basements, attics, and kitchens.

Diet & Feeding

General scavengers that consume matter containing polysaccharides, such as starches and dextrin in adhesives. This includes book bindings, wallpaper paste, paper, carpet, clothing, and food debris.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and fast-moving with a fish-like swimming motion. They undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis (gradual change) and can live for several years, molting throughout their entire lives.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered household pests as they can damage books, photographs, and textiles. They do not bite or transmit diseases to humans, but their presence may trigger allergies in some individuals. In the ecosystem, they serve as decomposers.

Identified on: 4/14/2026