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#4100 · 🦗 bugs, crickets & other insects

Common Silverfish

🇳🇱 Zilvervisje ·Lepisma saccharinum

🦗 Bugs, crickets & other insects 📍 in the Netherlands
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
  1. 1. © Christian Fischer · CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. 2. © anonymous · CC BY-SA 4.0
  3. 3. © Jordan Cook · CC BY-NC 4.0
  4. 4. © cossus · CC BY-NC 4.0
  5. 5. © Marie Lou Legrand · CC BY-NC 4.0
  6. 6. 1704 CS Heerhugowaard, Netherlands:© 05gi02el03 · CC BY-NC 4.0
  7. 7. 8014 JK Zwolle, Nederland:© Roelof · CC BY-NC 4.0
  8. 8. 1797 SL Den Hoorn, North Holland, Netherlands:© Anja Cervencl · CC BY-NC 4.0
  9. 9. 6708 DE Wageningen, Netherlands:© Pádraic Flood · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
  10. 10. Scherpenzeel, Nederland:© Rob C. H. M. Oudejans · CC BY-NC 4.0
Common Silverfish, photo 1 of 10
1/10 © Christian Fischer · CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

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...

base stats

  • NL sightings 22iNaturalist, research grade
  • worldwide 8,897iNaturalist observations

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

  • Spotted 22 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist.
  • 8,897 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.

fact sheet

English
Common Silverfish
Nederlands
Zilvervisje
scientific name
Lepisma saccharinum
class
Insecta
order
Zygentoma
family
Lepismatidae
sightings in NL
22
sightings in Europe
3,180
sightings worldwide
8,897
weight
—
length
—
lifespan
—

relatives· Lepismatidae

Sources: iNaturalist taxon 1445691, Wikipedia (EN). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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