Lepisma saccharinum
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
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 of America restricts use of the term solely to Lepisma saccharinum.
The silverfish is a nocturnal insect typically 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. Its abdomen tapers at the end, giving it a fish-like appearance. The newly hatched are whitish, but develop a greyish hue and metallic sheen as they get older. It has two long cerci and one terminal filament at the tip of the abdomen between the cerci. It also has two small compound eyes, although other members of Zygentoma are eyeless, such as the family Nicoletiidae.
The silverfish, like other species in Apterygota, is wingless. It has long antennae, and moves in a wiggling motion that resembles the movement... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Silverfish sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1063rd most-seen of the 1200 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Silverfish in Boston on a given day, against under 5% in February to December, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Silverfish sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
32nd of 34
Of the 34 cities where we can rate Common Silverfish sightings, Boston ranks 32nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Minsk (Belarus, about 10%), Berlin (Germany, about 10%) and Paris (France, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Silverfish is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
