Silverfish

Natural Habitat

Damp, cool environments with high humidity like bathrooms, basements, and kitchens; often found near paper and fabric.

Diet & Feeding

Starchy substances, sugars, and cellulose; they consume paper, book bindings, carpet fibers, glue, and crumbs.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and extremely fast-moving with a fish-like swimming motion. They undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis and can live up to eight years.

Risks & Benefits

Generally harmless to humans but considered a structural pest because they damage books, photographs, and textiles; they do not transmit diseases.

Identified on: 1/13/2026