Where did the time go since my last post?!
This is a nice short one before I run off to North Yorkshire
tomorrow- will hopefully come back with plenty of ideas from things I see.
Today’s post is the first in a series discussing some of the wildlife that shares
your home with you- welcome or not!
Of all the animals with the word “fish” in their name, the
silverfish is perhaps the least deserving. Though not related to
actual fish, at least starfish and jellyfish live in water rather than cupboards
and basements! Instead, the silverfish’s name was inspired by its silvery,
streamlined body and habit of wiggling its body as it walks, somewhat like a
swimming fish.
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| Serve with green vegetables and white wine |
It has a real taste for carbohydrates that would make any
supermodel pass out in horror, getting its fix partly from things we consider
rubbish, and partly from more treasured possessions. One the one hand, it eats dead skin, crumbs and discarded hair. On the other hand, it also likes book bindings,
photographs and many natural fabrics, attracting them to things like clothing
and tapestries. From a silverfish’s point of view, houses and libraries were obviously built
with them in mind… though humans are understandably not so grateful to their
little guests. But before you bring down
your shoe, folks, did you know that you’re housing a living fossil?
Though it may look a bit like a woodlouse, the silverfish is
actually an insect- just count the legs! In fact, it is a member of a very
primitive group of insects called the bristletails- named for the three long streamers,
or cerci growing from its rear end. Along with their relatives, the springtails,
these are relics from before insects first evolved wings: an invention that contributed
to their staggering success on Earth. While some insects, like fleas,
have lost the wings of their ancestors, the bristletails and springtails left
the party before wings even evolved, setting off down their own evolutionary
path. There are even footprints of these animals in the fossil record from around 300 million years ago! Insects arose from aquatic crustaceans about 400 million years ago, and
were probably some of the first animals to successfully colonise the land- long
before our ancestors cottoned on to the opportunities of a drier existence.
They had to overcome an enormous array of challenges to conquer the land,
rewriting their respiratory system, their reproduction and many other
structures to cope with their new environment. Something of a commitment, but
one that has paid off massively.
Because they are such an ancient group, bristletails
probably have many similarities to the very earliest insects, giving us a clue
to how they might have looked and functioned. In other insects, one of the most
obvious differences between adults and juveniles is the development of wings
when fully grown- so in many cases, it’s quite tricky to tell whether a
bristletail is an adult or not! The only new toys a young silverfish gets to
play with at its bar mitzvah are a functional set of sexual organs,
and the signature shiny body. As they can take several years to get to this
stage, it’s hopefully worth the wait! Also, unlike most other insects, which
stop growing and shedding their skins upon reaching adulthood, silverfish
continue to moult throughout their lives. Who wants to go without an outfit
change in all that time, anyway? As crustaceans also keep on moulting into
adulthood, it’s a fair guess to say that the very first insects did too, and the silverfish never lost this pattern. Just like grandparents,
they’ve hung onto the fashions of their day with determination.
So have some respect for your elders, put down that shoe,
and fetch them a nice chunk of something starchy. After a history of that length, can you
blame the humble silverfish for wanting to lead a quiet life under your stairs?
Image credits:
Silverfish: Iblis-Lakon, Wikimedia Commons
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