Hobbies And Interests
Egg
Silverfish can lay more than 100 eggs in their life, laying them one by one or in small clusters. Silverfish eggs are oval and only about 1 millimeter long. They start out white, but turn yellow and then brown within a few hours. Small crevices are ideal egg-laying places, with ideal temperatures between 71 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit. At the optimum temperature of around 71, eggs hatch in about 40 days.
Nymph
Nymphs hatch from their eggs with all the characteristics of the adults but on a smaller scale. They spend the next 24 months growing slowly and molting until they reach the adult stage. Nymph silverfish undergo their first molt when they are about one week old, and continue to undergo at least six molts before they reach their adult stage. The stage between molts is know as the instar and usually lasts about two weeks. Silverfish continue to molt throughout adulthood.
Adult
Adult silverfish are about three-quarters of an inch long with a long, soft, flat oval body. As their name suggests, they have small scales with a silvery sheen. Their prominent features are two long antennae on the front of their bodies and three lengthy tail extensions. The adult stage comes quickly, in as few as four weeks after hatching. Female silverfish continue to lay eggs throughout their entire life span, which averages about three years but can last up to eight years.