This summer we seem to run across more bugs in Die Höhle than usual. This is what I get for living in a basement. The latest annoyance seems to be earwigs, which I have always hated. However, for the first time the other day I came upon the bug to end all bugs - The Silverfish. I have never seen anything like it, first off it was massive, almost the length of my finger. On top of its size, it then seemed to contain the worst aspects of every other bug, millipede like legs, massive antenna, spider caricaturists, pinchers. The picture to the right does not do this thing justice, it was just awful. I'm a little endeared to it because I read about its mating ritual online. The reproduction of silverfish is preceded by a ritual involving three phases, which may last over half an hour. In the first phase, the male and female stand face to face, their trembling antennae touching, then repeatedly back off and return to this position. In the second phase the male runs away and the female chases him. In the third phase the male and female stand side by side and head-to-tail, with the male vibrating his tail against the female and then they mate. How cute is that? Still this bug is super scary looking. We have asked the landlord what to do about it since we keep the apartment decently clean, there should be no reason for bugs.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
Silverfish
This summer we seem to run across more bugs in Die Höhle than usual. This is what I get for living in a basement. The latest annoyance seems to be earwigs, which I have always hated. However, for the first time the other day I came upon the bug to end all bugs - The Silverfish. I have never seen anything like it, first off it was massive, almost the length of my finger. On top of its size, it then seemed to contain the worst aspects of every other bug, millipede like legs, massive antenna, spider caricaturists, pinchers. The picture to the right does not do this thing justice, it was just awful. I'm a little endeared to it because I read about its mating ritual online. The reproduction of silverfish is preceded by a ritual involving three phases, which may last over half an hour. In the first phase, the male and female stand face to face, their trembling antennae touching, then repeatedly back off and return to this position. In the second phase the male runs away and the female chases him. In the third phase the male and female stand side by side and head-to-tail, with the male vibrating his tail against the female and then they mate. How cute is that? Still this bug is super scary looking. We have asked the landlord what to do about it since we keep the apartment decently clean, there should be no reason for bugs.
Apparently they are very common in older houses. In my apartment by Casa Loma I caught two in my bedroom! It was disgusting and concerning to say the least when one ran out from under my bed!
ReplyDeleteahhh basements. I have a little family of daddy long legs living in the corner of my bedroom. I feel thought that it's one of those live and let live situations.
ReplyDeleteA.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I have a legitimate phobia of those things. I FREAK out.. and I mean, FREAK out... if they're even mentioned. Them and house centipedes, which may be the same thing or just similarly GROSS. My brother used to make me panic all the time just by saying, "Sarah! there's a centipede on the wall above you!" and I'd book it to the furthest room. My skin crawls, i have trouble breathing.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind bugs... I like spiders.. but THOSE... are horrific. *shudder*
I thought silverfish were those things that look like silver fish? Aren't these something entirely different? If not, what are those things that look like silver fish?
ReplyDeleteI always wondered how silverfish mate. Thanks Chris, I can always count on your blog to learn something new. I hope you can fix your bug problem, I would not be happy either.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people tell me these are silverfish, I've always called them house centipedes. I know silverfish as being, well, silver little tadpole lookin' things. so I don't know which is correct.
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