Silverfish
Lepisma saccharina
General Information
- Silverfish are fast runners and feed on almost everything
- They are wingless so they cannot fly
Size
9.53 to 19.05 millimetres long
Colour
Light Brown | Silver
Additional details
- Silverfish live in damp, cool places such as basements and bathrooms
- They require high-humidity environments
- They may also be found in bookcases or closet shelves and behind baseboards, windows, or doorframes
- They can eat stored food like cereals, but more often they just scavenge small crumbs
- They also have been known to eat paper that has glue/paste on it, including book bindings and the stains in fabrics
- They contaminate the food they chew on and stain objects they hide in
- Silverfish can stain the objects they hide in like books, cardboard, wall papering, or stored clothing
- Valuable items like paintings, old books, and documents may also be stained or damaged
Follow these sanitation tips for effective silverfish control:
- Eliminate any exposed food and moisture
- Toss out old boxes and newspapers where silverfish like to hide
- Inspect paper, cardboard, books, and wood that is brought into the home
- Keep kitchen and bathroom floors, counters, and cupboards clean
- If you notice silverfish in your basement, try running a dehumidifier to make the area less humid, and therefore less appealing