Silverfish: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the silverfish lives – recorded in 19 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Lepisma saccharina
Group	Grasshoppers, bugs & other insects
Found in	19 countries
Continents	Europe, North America
Lifespan	2 years
Class	Insect
Order	Zygentoma
Family	Lepismatidae

Where does the silverfish live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the silverfish in 19 countries and territories across Europe and North America. In Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Portugal it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

How long does a silverfish live?

Wikidata records a life expectancy of 2 years for the silverfish.

What kind of animal is the silverfish?

The silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) is an insect in the order Zygentoma and the family Lepismatidae, genus Lepisma. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the silverfish

The silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) is a species of small, primitive, wingless insect in the order Zygentoma (formerly Thysanura). Its common name derives from the insect's silvery light grey colour, combined with the fish-like appearance of its movements. The scientific name (L. saccharinum) indicates that the silverfish's diet consists of carbohydrates such as sugar or starches. While the common name silverfish is used throughout the global literature to refer to various species of Zygentoma, the Entomological Society of America restricts use of the term solely to Lepisma saccharinum.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Silverfish (revision 1380705193), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q26842 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).