Silverfish
Scientific Name: Lepisma saccharina (common silverfish, although other species like Ctenolepisma longicaudata are also common but harder to distinguish without a closer look)
Order & Family: Order: Zygentoma, Family: Lepismatidae
Size: Typically 10-19 mm (0.4-0.75 inches) in length, excluding their long antennae and three tail-like appendages (cerci).
Natural Habitat
Silverfish prefer humid and dark environments, often found in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, attics, and laundry rooms. They can also be found in storage boxes, books, and undisturbed areas of homes and commercial buildings. Outdoors, they might live under rocks, bark, and in leaf litter.
Diet & Feeding
Silverfish are scavengers and primarily feed on carbohydrates and starches. This includes paper (especially sizing in paper), books, glue, sugar, hair, dandruff, cotton, linen, silk, and other textiles. They can also feed on protein-rich items like dried meat and dead insects, especially when carbohydrates are scarce. They are known to even eat their own shed exoskeletons.
Behavior Patterns
Silverfish are nocturnal and prefer dark, secluded areas. They are fast runners and can be difficult to catch. They lay eggs in cracks and crevices, and their life cycle can be quite long, with some living up to 3-6 years. They undergo ametabolous metamorphosis, meaning they don't change much in appearance as they grow.
Risks & Benefits
Potential risks include property damage, as they can chew holes in clothing, books, wallpaper, and other paper products. They do not bite humans, spread diseases, or transmit pathogens. They are generally considered a nuisance pest. There are no significant benefits to humans or the ecosystem, but they are a part of the detritivore food web.
Identified on: 9/3/2025