Common Silverfish

Lepisma saccharinum

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lepisma saccharinum: //lɛˈpɪz.mə ˌsæk.kəˈraɪ.nəm//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Lepisma saccharinum 265840118 by Steven Lamonde. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Lepisma saccharinum 265840101 by Steven Lamonde. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Lepisma saccharinum 265840128 by Steven Lamonde. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Insecta Diversity by See his respective owners. Used under a Public domain license.
Lepisma saccharina Linnaeus, 1758 by Géry PARENT. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Summary

Lepisma saccharinum, commonly known as the silverfish, is a small, wingless insect characterized by its silvery appearance and fish-like movements. A pest primarily in residential settings, it thrives in warm and humid locations, feeding on carbohydrates and organic detritus. Its life cycle involves continuous molting and it can survive weeks without food, posing a challenge for control in homes.

Physical Characteristics

Body length 10-12 mm; flattened and slender, silvery, gray, or blackish above, pale below; long thread-like antennae with many segments; two long cerci and one terminal filament at the tip of the abdomen; mandibles articulate at two points; can run quickly but cannot jump.

Identification Tips

Flat, slender body with metallic sheen; long antennae; distinctive fish-like movement; presence of long filaments at the abdomen.

Habitat

Cosmopolitan species found indoors in warm, damp environments such as kitchens, bathrooms, and basements; rarely encountered outdoors.

Distribution

Found in Africa, the Americas, Australia, Eurasia, and parts of the Pacific.

Diet

Feeds on carbohydrates like sugar, starch, dried meat, cereals, glue, and other organic materials.

Life Cycle

Incomplete metamorphosis with egg, nymph, adult stages; typically lives for 2-8 years and continues to molt throughout its life.

Reproduction

Female lays over 100 eggs, typically in small groups in cracks and crevices after mating; eggs hatch in 3-6 weeks.

Predators

House centipedes and some spider species, such as the spitting spider (Scytodes thoracica).

Ecosystem Role

Considered household pests due to the consumption and potential damage to property; do not transmit diseases.

Economic Impact

Causes damage to food, books, and furnishings; considered pests in urban settings.

Health Concerns

While they are a nuisance and cause contamination, they do not transmit disease.

Collecting Methods

  • Sticky traps
  • Vacuum collection

Preservation Methods

  • Ethanol
  • Freeze drying

Evolution

Considered one of the earliest and most primitive insects, evolving over 400 million years ago.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

Often thought to be a form of pest that transmits diseases; however, they do not transmit diseases despite being pests.

Tags

  • insect
  • silverfish
  • pest
  • Zygentoma