How Fast Do Silverfish Grow?

Silverfish are a common pest in your home. They are nocturnal and can hide in dark, damp areas, such as basements or attics. They can cause a lot of damage to your food, clothes, books, and other items.

These small, flat insects are slender and gray in color. Their bodies are about one-half to one-inch long. During the young stages, they are whitish. As they grow, they turn silver.

Silverfish are general feeders. They eat virtually anything, including protein, cellulose, carbohydrates, grass, and leaves. The most important foods they eat are sugary substances.

Silverfish typically develop from a baby stage to an adult in about three months, but it can take up to two years in cooler climates. When developing, silverfish eggs go through molts. In the nymph stage, silverfish have lighter colored bodies and do not gleam. However, nymphs continue to molt throughout their lives.

After development, the female lays a cluster of two to twenty eggs. It can take as little as 19 days for the eggs to hatch. A female may lay up to 100 eggs in her lifetime.

Females produce one to three eggs per day, and can produce up to 60 eggs in four months. The eggs are oval-shaped, 1 millimeter in length, and are usually deposited singly or in groups.

Silverfish can enter your home through cracks, rotted holes, or through the foundation. If you find an infestation, your first step is to eliminate all the food sources and remove all possible entry points.