Silverfish
(03/14/2008) Hello! Identification help!
Hi,
I have attached a picture of a bug I have found in my room.  Just curious if you know what it is and a little about it? Thank you so much!
Matt



Hi Matt,
The Silverfish is a primitive insect that is generally cosidered a household pest.

Silverfish
(11/19/2007) please help figure out what this is!
I find this bug in my master bathroom. It's always crawling on the wall, only one by itself but i'll see it once or twice a week. Sometimes it's on the wall of my bedroom. Any idea what it is? Please!!!
Nancy



Hi Nancy,
We have received several requests in recent weeks to identify a Silverfish, but we have not posted a new image of a Silverfish since it was Bug of the Month in March 2007. Silverfish are primitive insects that can become established in homes and become household pests. They are usually found in dark damp areas and they are known to damage books by feeding on the organic glue and sizing in the binding and also do damage to wallpaper. They eat many forms of dry organic matter and will also feed on sugar, flour, breakfast cereals, fabrics and insulating materials.

Silverfish
(03/02/2007) What is this?
Hi, there,
Recently I can see this kind of bug everyday in my house. First I thought it is a House Centipede. But I found there are not enough legs. Please tell me what it is and how to control them (I killed 2-3 everyday). Thanks and regards
James



Hi James,
This is a Silverfish, a primitive insect. They are considered household pests. They are found in dark, damp areas, often the bathroom and basement. They will eat many things, but are fond of glue that adheres wallpaper to the wall and the glue in book bindings. Your timing was perfect and your photo quite gorgeous, so we are making the Silverfish the featured Bug of the Month for March 2007.

Silverfish
(01/06/2007) Help identifying a bug
Hi,
I attached a pic of the bug that has been plaguing my room. I found 8 huge ones around and under my bed (about 2" long), and have found several smaller (0.5") to bigger (1 - 2") ones randomly in other parts of my room and in boxes. Could you please help me to identify it, and if so would you know any way to keep them from coming back? Thanks!
Kym



Hi Kym,
This is probably the most beautiful image of a Silverfish we have ever seen. If we could tell you how to eradicate the Silverfish from your home, we would be fabulously wealthy. They are found in dark warm places, and can squeeze through tiny places. They are found inside walls as well. They are generally considered household pests as they will eat starchy substances, including book bindings, fabric and wallpaper glue. They will also eat many food products including sugar, flour and cereals.

Silverfish
(08/06/2006) silverfish photo
After thoroughly searching your website, it seems I have silverfish in my apartment (although this is the first one I have seen). Just thought you might need another photo to post, as most of the pictures of silverfish seem to be from the top angle. I live in Richland, Wa (south-eastern part of the state), and this silverfish was moving slowly across the carpet, and would repeatedly jump away if I got too close to it. It did not seem to be a fast runner, as my shoe was still able to get the better of it. Thanks for your site, it has been very helpful!
Melanie L.



Hi Melanie,
In addition to the angle, your image shows the silver coloration nicely.

Silverfish
(03/20/2006) unknown bug sitting on walls
Dear Bugman,
I'm glad that i found your website, i live in Spijkenisse, The Netherlands and i keep on finding this bug in my house, always sitting on walls, or running around in the bathroom. For a couple of years now they seemed to be there. A few years ago they where only half the size and only apeared in the toilet and bathroom, always on concrete walls or floor. Now they also appear in my bedroom. I've tried to catch one but they are very fast. What i like to know is what this little bug is, can you help me?
Kind Regards
Nick Dutrieux



Hi Nick,
Silverfish are common household pests that are generally found in cool, damp, dark places, like the bathroom and under the sink. They have a reputation for ruining books by eating the glue in the binding.

Silverfish
(02/20/2006) Squirmies
Hi. I live in Michigan and was curious about this bug. I see them in the bathroom sometimes along the crack between the floor and the wall, they are very fast and hard to photograph,(I had this one trapped for about a week hoping he would die so I could get a picture). He is still alive although he did change from brown to a very light color and is about 2.5 cm long. Not as interesting as some of the other bugs you feature but I wonder what this one is and if he changes into something else. Thanks,
Melissa



Hi Melissa,
You have Silverfish, primitive insects and common household pests that are usually found in dark damp areas.

Silverfish
(01/05/2006) What is this bug?
Hello bugman,
I found a few of these in my apartment. Can you tell me what it is? Sorry for the blurred picture. It does not stay still. This one is about 0.5cm but I've seen 1 mm to 1 cm in size. Thanks much and have a wonderful New Year! From Toronto, Canada. Yoon



Hi Yoon,
You have Silverfish, a common household pest.

Silverfish
(12/20/2005) Whats that bug?
Hello bugman, I'm hoping you can help me.
I recently moved into a new apartment, and on the first night spotted a cockroach in the sink. It was between 1 and 2 cm long and was certainly a cockroach (no mistaking it). I had my unit sprayed and did not see any adult cockroaches since (its been about 4 weeks). I did however, find a strange smaller bug (5mm-10mm) in the bathroom on 3 occasions over the past 2 weeks. Once it was in the tub, the other 2 times on the floor. Each sighting was at night, however the bug did not run from the light. My first guess is it is some sort of cockroach nymph, as I've looked at pictures of cockroach nymphs and they seem to share certain features (including a horizontally striped body). On the other hand, the shape seems to be different, and my bug seems to have some sort of long tail. Can you tell me what my bug is? Is it a cockroach? I've attached a picture. I suppose its hard to tell from the image but the bug was relatively small.



Silverfish are primitive insects that like damp dark places like your bathroom at night. They are usually regarded as household pests and they will eat a large variety of organic substances. They have a reputation for destroying book bindings.

Silverfish
(11/16/2005) silver fish???
I came across your site about a week ago and was trying to find out what kind of bugs were the ones I kept on seeing in my new apartment. Especially by the base of the fridge and the nearby baseboards. I had just moved in and had never seen such weird creatures...seemingly intelligent...but nasty at first look, especially when they runaway soooo fast!!! it's like roaches on speed or something...someone said they could be Silver Fish...is that right??? What else do u know about them??? and how do I get rid of them???? Also...can they carry any diseases??? how big do they get???
if it doesn't swim why do they call it a fish??? I've enclosed a close up shot of the BUG....along with a portrait with its brother...or sister??? thanks for your help
Antonio



Hi Antonio,
This is indeed a Silverfish. They are among the most primitive insects living today. They are so called because their bodies are covered with shiny thick scales and also because of the way they wriggle when they run. they are slippery and difficult to catch. They feed on dry organic debris, and they eat paper especially if it contains sizing or glue. They can do considerable damage to books. They are not disease vectors.

Silverfish
(10/31/2005) What is that bug?
Hi,
I have seen this bug in our new apartment on many occasions.  I cannot figure out what they are.  They are pretty small.  This is one is a little smaller than the head of a Q-tip.  They have been found mostly on walls, in dark places, and more recently in the bathtub.  Can you please help me figure out what this bug is? 
Thank you so much!
Kita Hang
Minneapolis, MN



Hi Kita,
This is a Silverfish and most people would concur that they are household pests.

Jumping Bristletails
(06/19/2005) Whats My Bug?
Hello! 
I hope these photos will suffice - afraid I cant seem to get a closer one. These little guys show up every time we put the sprinkler on or when it rains.They are in our house - as well as being all over outside. These little guys look grey, but have a very pretty gold to them in the sunlight. They are about 1/2 inch long. They are soft bodied and don't seem to have a "shell". They like to jump - about 2-3 inches - when you disturb them. They seem to like darkness and move a lot during the night. The top right photo is a scan of the underside of the bug. The rest are digital pictures taken with a webcam. I live in Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada, and I appreciate any insight you might have as to identifying and controlling (read: keeping out of basement!) these little guys. Thanks alot!
Christina



Hi Christina,
You have Jumping Bristletails, Family Machilidae, relatives of Silverfish. They usually live under stones and leaf rubble.

Silverfish
(05/08/2005) What's the bug in the pictures called?
Hi,
We were wondering what the bug showed in the pictures is called. We found it on a wooden fence in our backyard. They scurried out when we banged on the fence, and it was hard to catch them because they moved very fast.
Thanks a lot,
Pranav & Prag



Hi Pranav and Prag,
We usually get reports of Silverfish from people with household infestations. They are household pests that like damp dark areas, usually basements and bathrooms. As yours is outdoors, it is not really much to worry about. They are very primitive insects.

Firebrat
(03/16/2005) What this bug?
Hello there,
I was wondering if you could help me identify this annoyance in our household. I’ve had absolutely no luck with other sites. I’ve attached a picture for you take a look. Most of these bugs were sited by old heaters in our basement apartment. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Rob



Hi Rob,
You have Firebrats, Thermodia domestica, a type of Silverfish. It is a domestic species recognized by the mottled pattern. It frequents warm and even hot places, often in boiler rooms and near heaters. This habit leads to its common name.

Not Trilobites, but Silverfish
(09/05/2004) strange bug
Hi there, I'm from Edmonton, Alberta.  I've found some strange bugs in my bathroom and I have no idea what they are.  I don't have a picture, but they are about two centimeters long, grey and they look almost exactly like trilobites (a prehistoric crustacean extinct hundreds of thousands of years ago)  Here's a picture of what a trilobite looks like, I hope it will help.
Carla
Thank you very much.



Hi Carla,
Since Trilobites have been extinct for millions of years, we can eliminate that posiblility. Silverfish are one of the most primitive groups of insects. They frequently are found in bathrooms. I'm guessing that is what you have. They are household pests which damage books.

Ed. Note: We just recieved this notice which probably identifies Carla's trilobytes.
(01/16/2005) Carla & trilobites
Hi!
I used to live in Edmonton too and I can tell you that those sure aren't silverfish.  Carla has SOWBUGS.  They are totally harmless but really creepy, and they love to live in your basement.  They are also impossible to keep out of your home.   Here is a great link to information on the sowbug, which is really a crustacean!
http://www.pma.edmonton.ab.ca/natural/insects/bugsfaq/sowbug.htm
Chelsea Smith
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Silverfish
(06/30/2004) Bug in my house - Please help
Dear Bugman,
I am so glad that there is a site such as yours. I don’t' know what I would do if I didn't find your site. I have a critter in my house that just baffles me. I don't know what it is and I have gone through the books in the library and I just can't find out what it is that is living with me. It's about an inch long from head to tail. It has antenna on its head and the tail is like a tail of a fish or mermaid with another set of antennas. It swings form side to side. At the bottom, it seems to have multiple legs like a caterpillar? I'm really not that sure, it just seems to slide on the floor. Anyway, I find it on the walls, in my drawers in the kitchen, bedroom, bath, on my bed… I can catch it pretty easily, it doesn’t move too quickly, BUT it does have the capability to slide right into the WALLS. When I kill it by smudging it, it just seems to just flakes into pieces. I don't see it all the time; I see one maybe every other day in a new location. Would you PLEASE offer any information to see how I can terminate it?



Dear S.,
You have Silverfish, a common household pest that is difficult to erradicate. They are very primitive insects. They will eat most anything, including the glue from book binding or wallpaper. We have gotten a report that Cloves when spread around helps to eliminate them.

(04/07/2004)Firebrats?
I love your web site!
We recently moved into a new house in the Phoenix, AZ area and we are seeing a lot of small (1/4 to 1/2 inch) bugs in the house that look a little bit like the silverfish that I used to see back in Virginia.  They are very fast runners and they like to sit high up on the walls - particularly in the corners.  They are beige with 3-4 brown stripes running from side to side and they have long thin antennae and what looks like antennae off the rear of the bug as well.  They are extremely soft-bodied and, when threatened, their first response is to try to crawl deeper into the corner rather than simply run.
My camera will not let me zoom in close enough to get a decent photo, so I hope my description is adequate.
Thanks!
Bob
Peoria, AZ

Ed. Note: Several hours later, Bob sent this email.
After reading more about silverfish and firebrats, I suspect that these are the latter.  Oddly enough, we don't find them in the damp areas of the home as much as in the dry.  We do not find them in sinks or drains or in greater quantities in the bathrooms or kitchen.  Right now, I can find 2 or 3 of them in the living room and each bedroom, parked at the ceilings.  The house stays pretty dry (<30% humidity most of the time) and there are no signs of moisture anywhere.   They do not seem to be more active at night and they do not seem to hide during the day.  The body is less carrot shaped than indicated in the drawings and photos I've seen on the web, with a slightly more rounded rear. My wife calls them "trilobites" because of their prehistoric appearance.

Hi Bob,
I am inclined to agree that you probably have Firebrats. They are very primitive insects and your wife likening them to trilobytes is interesting.

(01/12/2004)
Hello I live in England and I was hoping you could help me work out what the bugs I have in my lavatory are .They are small brown ,worm like and they move by slithering along the floor they remind me of silverfish the way they move but are the wrong colour.
thankyou
Angela Thompson

Hi Angela,
Firebrats are close relatives of Silverfish and are brownish in color. They prefer warm areas, and might be attracted to the heat in your bathroom. They are similar in habits to the silverfish, and are also household pests that feed on starchy substances like book bindings, starched clothing and wall paper paste.

(9/12/2003) Cloves for (against) Silverfish
I have a note from some household tips mag that silverfish don't like clove.
"If you are troubled with silverfish try placing whole cloves in the closets and drawers."
dunno, but it's worth a try
I only have a couple in the bathroom and haven't found where they live.

Wow, we love natural tips for pest control. We will post this one immediately.

These little things are ratherr shiny, jump great lengths compared to their size. The one in the picture is about 1/4 inch long - I've seen them up to about 1/2 inch. We had the house fumigated for termites 8 weeks ago; these were among the earliest re-entrant critters. Can you identify this thing?
Thanks, ... Al


Dear Al,
You have a Jumping Bristletail, Family Meinertellidae. They are related to silverfish and are found in leaf litter and in old stone walls. Some species invade houses. Most species are nocturnal, abhor light and are secretive in their habits.

(4/8/03) Are the legs of the silverfish poisonous? I highly doubt they are, but my father in law claims they are.
Thanks,
Colin

Dear Colin,
No the legs of silverfish are not poisonous.

SILVERFISH!
(2/14/03) Hi, I currently had the most unfortunate experience of discovering a silverfish in my bathtub. It is one of two that I have seen sense I moved in in November. My apartment is old with steam heating and hardwood floors, So the option of dehumidifying is not really an option. I have spent many frantic hour on line trying to find out how to get these little darlings out of my apartment. My problem is this ...I found much conflicting info on them. Such as "there is no way of truly eliminating silverfish" to "two silverfish are nothing to worry about" and "silverfish will not generally eat clothing" to "you should perchance silverfish traps to put in your drawers" So what's the deal? Any info you could give would help. I'm at a point of hysteria (have you seen a yuckier looking bug) and very worried about my clothing collection.     Thank you very much and also if moving away and starting over is my only option at this point I'm okay with that.....:)   

Steph  

Dear Steph,
   Silverfish, which belong to the order Zygentoma, are also sometimes known as firebrats because of their love of warmth. According to expert F. Lutz, "If such a creature is eating your wallpaper, starched clothes, photographs or other belongings, your sorrow may be mitigated by your interest in seeing the most primitive insect you are likely to observe without special effort. Further damage may be prevented by fumigating or by liberal use of fresh Pyrethrum powder". If you move, be sure to not take along any hitch-hikers. We once had a lengthy correspondance with Miss Swanlund who was worried that her lovely Hollywood starlet apartment was infested. She eventually moved, leaving the vermin behind.

Are pincher bugs the same as silverfish? And, are potato bugs the same as earwigs?
Paleojenn1@aol.com

Dear Paleojenn,
     There are many things that might be called pincher bugs, but silverfish (Order Zygentoma) are not one of them since they possess no pincher like mouthparts, nor any other pinching devices. They are small wingless, primitive insects. Potato bugs or Jerusalem Crickets (Stenopelmatids) are large, slow moving, burrowing members of the order Orthoptera, and are related to other crickets. They are large, often 2 inches in length, and have a large head with strong jaws that can deliver quite a smarting bite, but they are harmless as they are not poisonous. Earwigs (Order Dermaptera) might be your pincer bugs since they possess a dangerous looking pair of pincers on the abdomen that look like forceps. They are used by the insects to catch and manipulate prey as well as to fend off enemies.

Another successful identification!
Hello,
Yes, you are very, very right, because the photos on the pages you sent me made my skin crawl while the others didn't...
Thank you very much for your help. It's nice to know what they are finally. They seem to infest the majority of apartments here in Chicago too, I've found them in three of the places I've lived in (can they be transported by me or my furniture?). One last question, I read from one of the pages that they are good for eating things like silverfish and generally indicate that there are other bugs they are feeding on. Silverfish sound particularly horrible, so my question is should I bother to try to get rid of them, or let them do what they have to do and only kill the ones I see? Somehow, even though their temperment seems harmless, they are the nastiest bugs to me... like I said, they make my skin crawl like nothing else and it takes me weeks to forget them whenever I see one. Yuck.
Thank you again for your help.
Logan

(2/18/02)
Dear What's that Bug,
    Last night in yoga class, while doing a spinal twist, I spotted a silverfish darting across the floorboards very near my mat. I broke my pose, grabbed a purple foam block, and squished the silverfish, leaving its mutilated body on the gleaming hardwood floors. I have two questions. First of all, is it bad karma to kill a bug in yoga class? Also, is there any way that I might bring an infestation back to my home?
    Thank you,
    Lethal Lotus

Dear Lethal Lotus,
     Though we here at What's That Bug? are not practicing Buddhists, we are aware that it is a Zen canon to think of ourselves as one with the universe, and that includes silverfish. Can't we all just get along? Was the silverfish harming you in any way? I would strongly suggest that you do some karmic retribution.
Regarding your second question, to which former HomeBody of the Month Miss Swanlund will strongly attest, once silverfish become naturalized, they are nearly impossible for even the cleanest homemaker to eradicate. The silverfish themselves do not ascribe to the Zen way of life, hence they are interested in overrunning homes and eating books with little thought of how this might affect the human tenants. War is war. Silverfish are notorious for seeking out cramped quarters and crevices, especially those of the dark moist variety. It is entirely possible to transport one of the wily critters on your person, especially if it should somehow find itself in an environment not conducive to its needs, like a brightly lit room full of contorted bodies where the odds of getting squished are high. It is also possible that one of your fellow yoga enthusiasts transported the victim of your brutal attack, and its siblings, to the site of your encounter.

(2/11/02) Hi,
      I  was restiching a pair of pants yesterday when out crawled a strange looking bug.  It startled me and frightened me because I hadn't ever seen anything like it before.  It was no longer than say 4-6 mm.  It was basically yellow, but with other colors on it. It had 2 "thingies"  trailing behind it. It was rather flat and narrow and moved fairly fast considering it's size. I killed it so I'm going by a 5-10 second memory recall.  The pants are made of 100% polyester, from Guatemala.  I realize that I haven't given you much to work with , but if you can identify it I'd be appreciative.  
     Thanks for your time,
     Mrs. Irish

It sounds like the dreaded silverfish, a household pest which will devour any and everything in the house.  Sadly, and much to our embarassment here at What's That Bug?, the silverfish is our one big failure story.  As much as we tried, it seems we could never figure out a way for Miss Swanlund, former Homebody of the Month, to eradicate the pestilence from her tiny and cozy Hollywood starlet apartment, forcing her to buy a home and leave many of her prized books and possessions behind.

Dear Mr. Marlos,
I understand you are writing a column regarding BUGS for AH. May I inquire for some information and advice before the publishing date? Here is the problem. My home has (I blush to admit) silverfish. They are relatively harmless when it comes to my person, except that they upset me. But I fear they are devouring my portfolio as well as books and papers. Have you run across any way to rid my place of them? My mother recommended silverfish bait, but I cannot find any. It must be illegal at this point in time.
—Miss S.

Dear Miss S.
Your fears are well founded. Silverfish (order Zygentoma) are so called due to their shiny, scale-covered bodies and their wriggling movements while running. They are often found indoors, behind furniture and among books, and are very difficult to catch. They eat organic debris and have a taste for sized paper, often causing considerable damage to books and wallpaper. They will also eat sugar, flour, cereals and fabric material. These primitive insects like dampness, and El Niño has provided an ideal habitat for them this year. Though I have never heard of silverfish bait, I can't imagine that your mother would be wrong. Perhaps she can send you some via post. If that is not possible, I would stock up on Raid.