Silverfish

Natural Habitat

Dark, damp environments such as basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and crevices behind wallpaper or baseboards.

Diet & Feeding

Materials high in starches, sugars, and dextrin, including book bindings, wallpaper paste, glue in furniture, and certain fabrics like silk or cotton.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and move with a quick, fish-like swimming motion. They undergo ametabolous metamorphosis (gradual development) and can live for several years.

Risks & Benefits

They are nuisance pests that can cause minor property damage to paper goods and clothing. They pose no direct health risk to humans as they do not bite or transmit disease.

Identified on: 12/28/2025