Bug Identifier
Silverfish
Community identification

Silverfish

Lepisma saccharina

Order & Family
Order: Zygentoma, Family: Lepismatidae
Size
13 to 25 millimeters in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Dark, damp, and humid areas such as bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and attics, often hiding behind baseboards or inside bookcases.

Diet & Feeding

Carbohydrates, starches, sugars, paper, glue, book bindings, wallpaper paste, and occasionally synthetic fibers or proteins like dead insects.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal, fast-running, wingless insects that avoid light and thrive in high humidity environments; they undergo ametabolous development, meaning they grow through simple molting without a larval or pupal stage.

Risks & Benefits

They do not bite or transmit diseases, but they can cause significant property and structural damage to books, paper, clothing, and wallpaper. They provide no notable benefits indoors.