Silverfish is a common name for species of this group with bodies that are
covered with silvery scales. They are also known as bristletail because of
their 3 long, bristle like or tail like appendages on the rear end of their body.
Silverfish
Silverfish is a common name for species of this group with bodies that are
covered with silvery scales. They are also known as bristletail because of
their 3 long, bristle like or tail like appendages on the rear end of their body.
Adult body length, not including tails, about 1/2-3/4". Silverfish are wingless with flattened body. Teardrop shape tapering from head to rear and generally covered with scales. They are a silver to gun metal color. Their Antennae is long and threadlike. End of abdomen has 3 long, bristle like appendages.
Immatures are similar to adults in appearance, except for size. Scales appear with 3rd or 4th molt.
Silverfish hide during the day and prefer to rest in tight cracks or crevices. They can be found almost anywhere in a home, including living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, attics, basements, and garages. Silverfish infest commercial structures such as offices, stores and libraries. They tend to roam large distances while searching for food, but once they find a satisfactory food source, they remain close to it. Silverfish can survive weeks without food or water.
They prefer proteins to carbohydrates and are cannibalistic. Silverfish are often introduced into building via cardboard cartons of books and paper from an infested location. They are pests of paper, particularly of glazed paper and paper with sizing, wallpaper and wallpaper paste, etc. Silverfish eat proteins such as dried beef and dead injured of their kind.
The four lined silverfish is not so limited by temperature and moisture. It may be found throughout a building, in the basement, in walls voids, the attic especially if the roof has wooden shingles, and in the garage. Outdoors, it occurs in the mulch of foundation flower and shrubbery beds, and under the bark of Eucalyptus trees in California.
The gray silverfish can be found throughout a building from basement to attic, but are not found outdoors. Often heat ducks and ventilators from the basement serve as avenues for widespread infestation. They survive well in both dry and moist conditions. Grey silverfish feed on carbohydrates and proteins of both plant and animal origin. They are fond of wheat flour and beef extract, especially when used as paste on paper. Grey silverfish prefer papers of high chemical pulp content such as onion skin, cleansing tissue, cellophane, etc..
(Insect Information excerpted from the NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests)