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February 22, 2022

Facts About Silverfish You Won't Believe

A closer look, 7 Silverfish facts you may not know:

Most pest control technicians learn common facts about silverfish early in their careers - Silverfish got their name from their looks, their bodies wiggle, resembling the swimming motion of a fish, and have fish-like scales. They are one of the most ancient insects on the planet, predating even dinosaurs by 100 million years.  

Graphic Silverfish lifecycle

  • They’re prehistoric.
    Silverfish are one of the most ancient insects on the planet. They even predate the dinosaurs by 100 million years, meaning they’ve been crawling around for more than 400 million years.
  • They don’t have fighting skills.
    Silverfish have no defense against predators. That is why - to have survived all those millions of years - they developed extreme speed. Their speed helps them dart for cover.
  • Friends and family plan.
    Once a female silverfish reaches her adult stage, she can produce eggs every day - for the rest of her life. These eggs are typically laid in protected areas, such as crevices, cracks, and under carpeting or rugs.
    When silverfish invade, they typically do not arrive alone. If you find one, you can be sure that there are many more hiding in places you cannot see.
silverfish.info_graphic200x625
  • How they choose their housing.
    Silverfish love moisture, they need it to survive. You’ll find them in moist, humid areas with little foot traffic and lots of food sources.
  • Their intermittent fasting game is strong.
    Silverfish have a very unusual diet, consisting mainly of paper, glue, shaving cream, and other starchy substances like toothpaste, pasta, fabric, and cardboard. They will also eat dead insects. And they can live up to a year without food!
  • They are hard to get rid of.
    Unfortunately, because they’ve been around for so long, Silverfish have developed resistance too many insecticides.
  • They age well.
    While it can take up to two years for a juvenile silverfish to become an adult, the insect has a relatively long lifespan compared to other insects. Typically, silverfish live between three and six years, but can live up to eight if conditions are right.
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The Best Way to Get Rid of Silverfish

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Sources:

https://www.terminix.com/other/silverfish/facts/

https://www.americanpest.net/blog/why-silverfish-have-chosen-your-home/

http://new.allisonpest.com/blog/2014/07/09/five-fun-facts-about-silverfish/

Tag(s): CSI-Pest , Silverfish

Heather Patterson

PCO Technical Service Manager

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