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Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) Dead skin eater.

3,589 views · Published 17 March 2018 · 1:13 · Indexed 26 October 2026

Channel: My Own Amazing Body · 2018 · People & Blogs

A silverfish (Lepisma saccharina is a small, wingless insect in the order Zygentoma(formerly Thysanura). Its common namederives from the animal's silvery light grey colour, combined with the fish-like appearance of its movements, while the scientific name(L. saccharina) indicates the silverfish's diet consists of carbohydrates such as sugar or starches.

Silverfish are nocturnal insects typically 13–25 mm (0.5–1.0 in) long.Their abdomens taper at the end, giving them a fish-like appearance. The newly hatched are whitish, but develop a greyish hue and metallic shine as they get older.They have two long cerciand one terminal filament at the tips of their abdomens; the filament projects directly off of the end of their body, between the left and right cerci. They also have two small compound eyes, despite other members of Zygentoma being completely eyeless, such as the family Nicoletiidae.[3][5]

Like other species in Apterygota, silverfish are completely wingless. They have long antennae, and move in a wiggling motion that resembles the movement of a fish. This, coupled with their appearance and silvery scales, inspires their common name. Silverfish typically live for two to eight years Silverfish are agile runners and can outrun most of their predators (including wandering spiders and centipedes). However, such running is possible only on horizontal surfaces, as they lack any additional appendages, and therefore are not fast enough to climb walls at the same speed.[citation needed] They also avoid light.

Silverfish are basically the insect equivalent of your weird pal with the weird obsession with weird diets. You know the one.

Technically, they’re omnivores, but silverfish tend to favor things that are very high in starch, protein or polysaccharides (found in things like adhesives and glues). This goes some way to explaining why they’re often found nibbling on books, bindings, papers, photos, sugary food deposits and, disgustingly, things like human hair and dead skin.

On a slightly more regular basis, the carbohydrate substance of things like flour, cereals, oats can attract the hungry bugs, as well as even other dead insects or leathers if they’re truly in dire straits for a wholesome meal – kind of bizarre for a creature that will literally suck the urine out of stained clothing if it can, but there you go. Different strokes for different folks.

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) Dead skin eater.

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