Weird insect on floor

Cork981

Not sure if this is the correct thread for this type of query but I'm sure the mods will move me if necessary.

The last few months if I go down stairs at night I'm starting to find a few small Eel type things that slide along the tiles of wood floor. I have no idea what they are I have never seen them before.

Here is a close up picture I took last night.

Hopefully someone can give me an idea what they are.

https://photos-3.dropbox.com/t/2/AACdvbxedKEHY03Wnjo-j9a4aYYvc8ogp2Wqx64-IuxiAg/12/12671993/jpeg/1024x768/3/1434114000/0/2/file%2012-06-2015%2012%2023%2014%20p.m..jpeg/CPm3hQYgASACIAMgBCAFIAYgBygBKAIoBw/JtyLkqq-QVt8trS-BlNeF1x3ckNSOYWMVkyeGcsidOs

traprunner

It's a silverfish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish

Cork981

traprunner wrote: »

It's a silverfish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish

Thank! That was fast.

Have you ever dealt with these before ?

Are they common ?

traprunner

Cork981 wrote: »

Thank! That was fast.

Have you ever dealt with these before ?

Are they common ?

Yeah, we were plagued with them last year (apartment block). They came up the drains in the bathroom and en-suite. The bath in the bathroom is not used much so every few weeks I put some drain unblocker down it and then flush it out an hour later. I found that this keeps it clear of silverfish most of the time.

We had dozens last year. This year we only had 5 or 6 so far. We kill them on the spot. They like to hide where grout is missing from bathroom tiles and so I bleach a couple of little holes often too.

They are harmless and more an annoyance having them there than anything else. See next post!

Alun

traprunner wrote: »

They are harmless and more an annoyance having them there than anything else.

Don't let them get anywhere near books, they nibble at the paper and fill it full of holes as I know to my cost.

https://www.google.ie/search?q=silverfish+paper+damage&newwindow=1&biw=1280&bih=887&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB8QsARqFQoTCK2DwLmJisYCFekX2wodp3sA-Q

traprunner

Alun wrote: »

Don't let them get anywhere near books, they nibble at the paper and fill it full of holes as I know to my cost.

https://www.google.ie/search?q=silverfish+paper+damage&newwindow=1&biw=1280&bih=887&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB8QsARqFQoTCK2DwLmJisYCFekX2wodp3sA-Q

I didn't know that. As I said, I kill them on the spot. Ugly little things.

mahoganygas

My ground floor apartment has them. There was a lot of them 6 months ago (1 or 2 in the bathroom each morning). They seemed to come up from gaps in the floor tiles.
Strangely, they also seem to have come down through the light fixture. I have a globe type light fixture which thankfully keeps them sealed inside. They must be attracted to the heat. Sometimes you can see them wriggling around in there.

I picked up a generic brand of insect killer from a hardware shop. It mentioned silverfish on the label.

I narrowed it down to two cracks in particular and I spray them every week or two. Now they seem to come out of the crack, pick up the chemical, crawl a foot or two then die. In the morning I often see them dead on the ground.

The internet says to keep your floor swept and no crumbs or food on surfaces.
They are attracted to warm damp conditions. I try to give my bathroom as much air as possible after a shower to dry it out.

Alun

Yes, they are a pest, but they're fascinating things from a scientific viewpoint being one of the oldest insects or even animals still in existence today. It is thought they first appeared about 400 million years ago, so I can't help but have a sneaking admiration for them, despite their destructive tendencies.

kylith

I quite like them, the teeny little cybermats (Doctor Who villain).

You'll generally find them somewhere moist and cool.

Nekarsulm

Very commonat the edges of lino, especially in old houses with stone floors, or stone / poorly insulated walls.

Chucken

Alun wrote: »

Don't let them get anywhere near books, they nibble at the paper and fill it full of holes as I know to my cost.

https://www.google.ie/search?q=silverfish+paper+damage&newwindow=1&biw=1280&bih=887&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB8QsARqFQoTCK2DwLmJisYCFekX2wodp3sA-Q

My ex in-laws used to collect books (expensive ones) and they said it was the glue that silverfish loved. That didn't stop the eating pages though!

They had to get in someone like Rentokil at regular intervals (they lived in a very damp building) Mother in law used put cinnamon down to repel them in the places they saw them at night but that was only a stopgap.

Alun

Chucken wrote: »

My ex in-laws used to collect books (expensive ones) and they said it was the glue that silverfish loved. That didn't stop the eating pages though!

That's right, I understand it's the glue used to bind the spine of the books that attracts them initially but then they go on to eat the paper itself. Antique books probably used some kind of animal based glue which I guess would be big draw to them, but my books were far from antique, so probably used modern synthetic glue and I can't imagine they'd be too attracted to that though. Anyway, a lesson learnt

VonVix

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Very commonat the edges of lino, especially in old houses with stone floors, or stone / poorly insulated walls.

I can vouch for that, the old place I lived in as a kid was riddled with them. They seemed to only come out at night.

The_Valeyard

They are near impossible to get rid of. Had them in an apartment years ago. They reproduce very quickly. And get in everywhere! They love starch, hate the light and move very quickly. Pestiside don't seem to work, seal up all cracks...everywhere. fix any damaged pipes, they love damp, warm areas. Harmless enough though. However they eat books.