Fire*brat? (We always called them silverfish.) - Ctenolepisma longicaudatum - BugGuide.Net

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Copyright © 2006 Ron Hemberger

Fire*brat? (We always called them silverfish.) - Ctenolepisma longicaudatum

Irvine, Orange County, California, USA
November 22, 2006
Size: guess 1"

We were wrong, right?

Since posting, I've been researching a bit. Neither silverfish nor fire*brat seems a match. This critter was:

Too large (way bigger than either)
Too dry (in the house, nowhere near moisture)
Too cool
Too calm (totally ignored me, inches away)
Too sure-footed (on a vertical suface with a slippery finish)
Too much!

Images of this individual: tag all

Fire*brat? (We always called them silverfish.) - Ctenolepisma longicaudatum

Fire*brat? (We always called them silverfish.) - Ctenolepisma longicaudatum

Contributed by Ron Hemberger on 22 November, 2006 - 9:23pm
Last updated 11 October, 2007 - 4:32pm

,,,

...unnecessary

… Ron Hemberger, 11 October, 2007 - 4:30pm

Moved

Moved from Firebrat.

… Ron Hemberger, 11 October, 2007 - 4:27pm

My silverfish is on the move.

Thanks, Robin, for giving it an ID and new home. It's interesting to me to see they're in the midwest, where I grew up, and SoCal, where I am now.

… Ron Hemberger, 11 October, 2007 - 4:27pm

Ctenolepisma longicaudata

Gray Silverfish, AKA Giant Silverfish and Long-tailed Silverfish. I made a Guide page here with a description and notes on how to distinguish this species from related ones.

… Robin McLeod, 11 October, 2007 - 2:06pm

Silverfish are usually hairle

Silverfish are usually hairless with smooth shiny scales. This is a firebrat (same order and family). I don't know the species.

… Dennis Profant, 4 December, 2006 - 10:47pm

Thanks, Dennis

This is just one more indication that my childhood was misspent. LOL.

… Ron Hemberger, 4 December, 2006 - 11:08pm

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