A Bristletail Encounter: there is an insect crawling out of my books!

It was my afternoon reading time, when all of a sudden, a fast, carrot-shaped, gray colored with numerous black markings insect came crawling out of my books.  It was the wingless insect - called a bristletail!

These insects are called bristletails because of the 3 long, bristle like appendages on the posterior end of the insects body. They have flattened, tear drop/carrot/fish-shaped bodies. The two main types of commonly occurring bristletails are: the silverfish (Lepisma spp.) and the firebrats (Thermobia spp.). 

Silverfish have a uniform silvery-metallic sheen on its body and 4 long dark lines which extends lengthwise. Firebrats are mottled gray in color with numerous dark markings throughout the length of its body.

Developmental time (egg to adult) takes about 2-4 months under favorable conditions. 

Both insects commonly occur indoors. They can also persist on clutter in storage rooms, attics and garages. Firebrats can be found on firewood piles outdoors. Firebrats are reported to thrive in warm conditions 32-42C and at 76-85% RH. Locations like boiler rooms, bakeries, hot attics and steam tunnels, around ovens are favorable breeding places for firebrats.  Both are fast runners, prefer the dark, hiding mostly in the daytime and stays inside tight cracks and crevices. 

Both insects have chewing mouthparts and can feed on a wide variety of food materials, with  preference to both carbohydrates and proteins. They can feed on a wide variety of materials such as rolled oats, dried beef, bond paper, linen, cotton, silk, glue, viscose rayon carpets, cloth materials, etc. 

Amazingly silverfish and firebrats are extremely resistant to starvation  and they can exist without feeding for long periods of time. They are also long-lived and the adult life span can exceed 3 years. 

Another amazing habit of these bristletails is that they can molt 45-60 times. Even as adults they can still undertake molting. They somewhat never stop growing and developing! (something we humans must learn and practice) They can also regenerate injured or damaged appendages (mega awesome!) 

Bristletails are truly awesome! 

Awesome creature! Awesome Creator!