Bug Identifier
Silverfish (likely)
Community identification

Silverfish (likely)

Ctenolepisma longicaudata

Order & Family
Order Zygentoma; family Lepismatidae
Size
Adults are typically 10–15 mm long, excluding the tail filaments.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Warm, dark, humid places such as bathrooms, basements, wall voids, and stored-paper areas; this individual appears outdoors on masonry.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on carbohydrates and starches in paper, book bindings, wallpaper paste, textiles, and crumbs; it may also consume mold and dead organic matter.

Behavior Patterns

Fast-running, wingless, and mainly nocturnal; it hides in cracks during daylight and develops gradually through successive molts without a pupal stage.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to people and not known to transmit disease or bite. Indoors, it can damage paper, books, fabrics, and adhesives; ecologically, it helps recycle organic debris.