Some hatch as apparently miniature adults (direct development), and in some cases, such as silverfish, the hatchlings do not feed and may be helpless until after their first moult.
Silverfish are nocturnal insects that enjoy cool and moist conditions.
Manuscripts are organic materials that run the risk of decay and are prone to be destroyed by silverfish.
However, apterygotes (bristletails and silverfish) and many immature aquatic insects have abdominal appendages.
During famine, a silverfish may even attack leatherware and synthetic fabrics.
Silverfish are considered household pests, due to their consumption and destruction of property.
Among the most common are clothes moths, carpet beetles, silverfish, firebrats and rodents.
Silverfish can sometimes be found in bathtubs or sinks at night, as they have difficulty moving on smooth surfaces and so become trapped.
