
Community identification
Silverfish (likely firebrat)
Ctenolepisma longicaudata (likely; image is not definitive)
- Order & Family
- Zygentoma; Lepismatidae
- Size
- About 10–18 mm long, excluding the antennae and three tail filaments.
Natural Habitat
Warm, humid indoor areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, basements, wall voids, and storage spaces; also occurs in buildings worldwide.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds on starches, sugars, paper, book bindings, cardboard, glue, textiles, and other carbohydrate-rich materials; it scavenges rather than bites people.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal, fast-running, and secretive; it hides in cracks by day. Nymphs resemble adults, and development occurs gradually without a pupal stage.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans and not known to transmit disease, but infestations can damage paper, wallpaper, books, and stored materials. It contributes modestly to indoor scavenging and decomposition.