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Gray silverfish

Gray silverfish

Ctenolepisma longicaudata

A species of Ctenolepisma, Also known as Paper silverfish, Urban silverfish, Silverfish

The gray silverfish is able to consume cellulose in paper, textiles, and plant matter, and they are a major pest in libraries, museums, and households. They also eat the skin that they leave behind each time they molt. They thrive in human dwellings, where there is generally climate control and plenty of food for them. In a dry environment, they will die within a month.

General Info About Gray silverfish
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Attributes of Gray silverfish
Biting/stinging
Not reported
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Defensive attack
Not reported
Venomous
Not reported
Non-poisonous
The Gray silverfish is non-toxic and generally doesn't pose a risk to human health. No need for excessive worry.
Borer
The Gray silverfish can bore into the wood and may damage its structure, or even harm the health of trees. Stay alert if you frequently observe it in your house.
Pollinator
Not reported
Pest-Eating Predatory
Not reported
Phytophagous
Not reported
Predatory
Not reported
Biting animal or pet
Not reported
Mouthparts Type
Chewing mouthparts
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Species Status of Gray silverfish
It is found in the Caribbean, North America and Europe.
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Distribution Area of Gray silverfish
United States, Canada, Mexico
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Life Cycle of Gray silverfish
Egg The eggs of gray silverfish are oval in shape and undergo direct development. The embryonic growth within the egg progresses until the nymph emerges, closely resembling the adult but smaller.
Nymph The nymphs of gray silverfish resemble small adults without reproductive structures. Their development involves multiple molts as they grow larger. Nymphs gradually develop adult features with each molt, but their color may vary.
Adult Reaching adulthood, gray silverfish display little to no drastic change in shape or color. Adults possess fully developed reproductive organs and engage in mating behaviors. Age-related variations in size and color can occur.
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Adult Size of Gray silverfish
1 - 2 cm
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Interesting Facts About Gray silverfish
When threatened, gray silverfish can detach its scales to escape, leaving a predator with nothing but a mouthful of inedible matter.
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Scientific Classification of Gray silverfish
Tips for Finding Gray silverfish
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Youth Habitat of Gray silverfish
Urban and Suburban Areas, Rotting and Decaying Matter
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Adult Habitat of Gray silverfish
Urban and Suburban Areas, Rotting and Decaying Matter
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How Can You Attract Gray silverfish
Since gray silverfish are known to feed on starchy materials such as glue, paper, and clothing, as well as dried meats and dead insects, setting up traps with bait made from these substances could be an effective way to attract them.
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Habitat Preferences of Gray silverfish Through Different Life Stages
The eggs of gray silverfish are typically deposited in small crevices within indoor environments, such as cracks in flooring or behind baseboards, ensuring protection and darkness. Nymphs, resembling smaller adults, roam in search of food, and thus can be found in similar hidden locations, like under carpets, around bookshelves, and in storage areas with paper products. Adults, which usually seek the same nutrients as the nymphs, are also spotted in darkened indoor areas where starchy materials are abundant. Searching for gray silverfish at different developmental stages would require a thorough examination of undisturbed, cluttered, and secluded spots inside homes or buildings with ample cellulose-based materials.
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How and Where Can You Find Gray silverfish at Different Life Stages
Juvenile Juvenile gray silverfish are smaller and less noticeable. They can be found by looking in dark, undisturbed places inside homes or buildings where they might seek out food sources like books, wallpaper paste, or clothing.
Sub-adult gray silverfish may be larger than juveniles but still immature. They may be found in similar environments as the juvenile stage. Check cracks, crevices, and behind furniture for their presence.
Adult Adult gray silverfish can be located by searching for them at night when they are most active. Inspecting storage areas, basements, and places where paper or fabric is kept may yield results. Traps baited with starchy materials could also be placed in these areas to capture adults.
Are Gray silverfish harmful?
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Gray silverfish frequently appears in houses and disturbs humans' lives. Gray silverfish can also feed on textiles and other goods, causing damage to humans' properties.

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Where do Gray silverfish come from?

It will actively move to a suitable place. Silverfishes are sensitive to light and temperature. The suitable temperature for growing is 16 - 30 ℃ and the relative humidity is 75-95%. Thus, indoors with abundant food have become excellent living places.
Silverfishes can spread with the removal of utensils. When bookcases, shelves, bookcases, and book bundles are being transported, the hidden eggs, larvae, and adult worms can spread to other places with these carriers. Then they will become storage pests in the new environment.
Silverfishes also like to live in the sewer. If the floor drain and sewer pipes are not sealed, silverfishes will get into the home easily.
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What is the most effective prevention against Gray silverfish?

Isolate food sources. Seal exposed food in glass or plastic containers. Owing to the extensive recipes of silverfishes, this method can only prevent food from being soiled by silverfishes and cannot stop them from growing.
Control humidity. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity. Avoid the appropriate humidity for growth. Under the unsuitable humidity, silverfishes will be forced to other places for reproduction.
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Fill the room with sunlight. Open the floor-to-ceiling windows on sunny days. Do not pull the curtains. Let the sunlight into the room as much as possible.
Repair and fill gaps. Fill the cracks on the wall or floor with products such as seam powder or glass glue.
Dispose of deposits on the ground. Do not stack books, newspapers, draft paper, flyers, or cartons directly on the floor for a long time.
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Dispose of soiled clothing. Cleaning the dirty clothes with washing machine in time. Don't leave them in the dirty clothes basket for a long time. If they can't be cleaned in time, please put in a sealed plastic bag to isolate them.
Replace with new wallpaper. The gap created by peeling off the wall of the old wallpaper is an excellent living place for silverfishes. Silverfishes also feed on wallpaper and viscose.
Use a vacuum cleaner. It can effectively remove the tiny food residues that have fallen on the ground. At the same time, silver fishes and their eggs would be removed as well.
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How to get rid of Gray silverfish?

Notice silverfishes and abnormalities
  • Finding the trace of silverfishes.
  • Transparent shed skin of silverfishes.
  • Suddenly appearing things like small black pepper particles (their manure).
  • Irregular holes and yellow stains on items such as clothes or wallpaper.
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Driveaway silverfishes
Dry books and turn the pages repeatedly. Slapping the books that silverfishes feed on will make it frightened and run away.
Dry clothes. In sunny weather, the clothes can be flipped and dried outdoors, which can not only drive away many kinds of hidden insects but also dehumidify and kill mites.
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Clean indoors and outdoors. Clean up moist and rotting items indoors and outdoors. Sweep the barely exposed surface to reduce the spawning habitat and number of spawning.
Use homemade lemon juice spray. Squeeze the lemon juice into clean water. After mixing well, spray on any area where silverfishes appear. This little tip can effectively avoid silverfishes. Except for low persistence, it is highly efficient, completely non-toxic and harmless.
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Homemade traps for trapping silverfishes
Use a glass bottle with food inside as a trap. Choose a glass bottle with a smooth inner wall. Wrap the outside with tapes or things that have rough surfaces such as newspapers. Place a small piece of bread in a bottle. Put the device in a dark and wet corner. Silverfishes can climb the rough outer wall, but cannot escape through the smooth inner wall after entering the trap.
Use the wet newspaper as a trap. Roll up the old newspaper and tie the ends with a rope. Don’t tie too tightly. Before falling asleep, wet the newspaper and put the newspaper in the place where silverfishes appear. When waking up in the morning, in order to avoid silverfishes running away, do not open the newspaper and discard or burn them directly.
Several traps can be made at the same time and placed in different places in the home. Repeating this operation for several days in a row can effectively reduce silverfishes in the house.
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Buy and use insect viscose board as a trap. Place the purchased one correctly according to the instructions for use. Put the starch-rich food as the bait in the center of the viscose board.
Buy and use cedar shavings. Silverfishes will be scattered by their odor and run out of the room. Due to the scattered wood chips, they should not be put in the place where they could affect public health. It is advised to replace them with new wood chips in a week. Clean debris with a vacuum cleaner.
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Buy and use diatomaceous earth. Before falling asleep, sprinkle diatomaceous earth in cabinets, baseboards, and any other place. The next morning, use a vacuum cleaner to dry the powder and the killed silverfishes. Be careful when wearing diatomaceous earth because it may enter the respiratory tract and cause lung irritation.
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Buy and use boric acid. Sprinkle boric acid in places where silverfishes are frequented. Due to the toxicity of boric acid, be careful not to inhale while using it. Households with babies or pets should avoid using.
Buy and use scented spice bags. Silverfishes do not like the smell of spices. Besides avoiding silverfishes damaging the clothes, putting a scent bag in the closet and drawer can scent the clothes as well.
Harmful Effects of Gray silverfish
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Stored Produce Pest

Gray silverfish is a storage pest that can inflict mild to severe damage. Found in both adult and nymph stages, they feed on a wide array of dry goods such as paper, photographs, and textiles. Due to their propensity to consume household items containing starch, these pests can degrade valuable personal belongings, causing both annoyance and potential economic loss.

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Textile Pest

Gray silverfish is known to cause damage in both its nymph and adult stages, nibbling on a variety of household materials. This pest typically consumes starchy substances in paper, clothing, and textiles, leading to surface damage that can range from mild to severe. The presence of gray silverfish can lead to costly repairs or replacements of affected items, including important documents, cherished books, and precious clothing.

More Effects of Gray silverfish

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