BugWise

What do silverfish look like?

An example of a silverfish. Photo: M Bulbert © Australian Museum.

Silverfish. Illustration: A Howells © Australian Museum.

Size:

2 mm - 18 mm in length.

Body:

Column-like, tear-drop or spindle-shaped.

Often hairy, with tufts common between eyes

Appears hard and covered in scales.

Have tiny styli (soft finger-like projections) coming from the underside some of the abdomen segments.

Antennae:

Thread-like, with many segments.

Longer than half the body length.

Eyes:

Absent or small, berry-like and well separated.

Mouthparts:

For chewing.

Held in front or downwards at rest.

Wings:

Absent.

Limbs:

Six legs, short and stocky.

Abdomen tip:

Three tails (two cerci and one middle filament), thread-like, and similar in size; at rest the two outer tails are directed at an angle away from the body.

Where are silverfish found?

• Under bark, rocks or among leaf litter.
• In soil or within caves.
• In the desert, as some are capable of absorbing water from the atmosphere.
• Living in ant and termite nests.
• In houses, where they favour areas of high humidity like bathrooms.

What do silverfish do?

• They often group together around food sources.
• When disturbed they remain still, run for cover or hop.
• They feed on fungi, and plant material. In the home they may feed on starchy substances such as wallpaper glue, book bindings and photographs.
• They are normally active at night, if active during the day generally found in dark places.

What looks similar?

• Bristletails are easily confused with Silverfish. They maybe separated from Silverfish by their large eyes that touch; their long middle tail, which is considerably longer than the cerci; and they jump when disturbed.