Lepisma saccharina

SPECIES: Lepisma saccharina (order Thysanura)

COMMON NAME: Silverfish

SIZE: 15-20 mm long

LIFECYCLE: The female lays 70-100 eggs. At 25°C development completes in 2-4 months and 10 moults, while suboptimal conditions may require 3 years and more than 50 moults.

FEATURES: photophobic insect with a long, flat brownish colouration with scales that produce silvery reflections. The cerci are easily visible. The head has small eyes, but no ocelli. Masticator type mouthparts. Egg: 1 mm long, elliptical in shape.

HABITAT: very active in heated environments with a suitable level of relative humidity.

DIET/DAMAGE: found in archives, libraries and homes, hiding in crevices, cracks, gaps and baseboards. It feasts on books, paper, fabrics, carpets, starches, exuviae of other L. saccharina, and botanical and zoological collections. Occasional pest in the food industry.

I want to sterminate it