HOME	Silverfish

Guess what? Silver fish are not fish! And if you want to find some, go over to the old classrooms in the senior school, and look through the cupboards. Look for nibbled paper, and you're sure to find a silverfish!

Silverfish are found indoors all year round. They are about 13mm long, and harmless, and you can find them all round the world.

Silverfish undergo incomplete metamorphosis, which means that they have several larval stages all resembling the adults, but smaller and non-reproductive. One female can lay 10-100 eggs; young take 1-3 years to reach adulthood, and adults can live for several years after that. Silverfish eat the starch in books, clothing, and food, and can often become household pests.

Silverfish like humid, warm habitats, and are often found in buildings with water leaks and other plumbing problems. Ensuring that your dwelling remains dry and clean will eliminate silverfish. But it may take a while - silverfish are able to live for up to 10 months without food!