Silverfish

About the Silverfish

One of the most primitive insects still alive - they evolved 400 million years ago, before dinosaurs. They can live 2-8 years, remarkably long for an insect. They are one of the few organisms that can digest cellulose without microbial help. They can go a year without eating. They are attracted to starch in paper, glue, wallpaper, and book bindings, making them a library pest. They are fast runners but cannot climb smooth surfaces. Over 500 species. They are wingless - they never evolved wings. They are essentially unchanged since the Carboniferous period.