No, silverfish are not known to eat wood.

Silverfish do have tremendous appetites, and will eat a variety of different things. They prefer starchy materials such as paper and book bindings, wallpaper, glue, clothing, and some human foodstuffs.

If you are seeing wood that looks like that it is being eaten, you may want to investigate for a termite infestation.

Silverfish, also known as fishmoths, are frightening little insects that just love to live in the dark, damp areas of people’s homes. While most people would prefer to get rid of them, is there really any danger?

Do silverfish carry diseases?

No, they do not. In fact, silverfish don’t even bite humans and are not aggressive in any way. They will most likely run away if they are disturbed, and pose no threat to either you or your pets.

Silverfish, also known as fishmoths, are in fact not fish at all. They are insects of the order Thysanura.

So why are they called silverfish?

There are two reasons:

1. The silvery grey or blue color of the silverfish is similar to the scales of an actual fish.

2. As silverfish move, they often exhibit a movement which is similar to that of a fish swimming through the water.

Many household pests are feared because they can inflict painful or even dangerous bites to humans, however not all insects are capable of biting humans.

What about silverfish? Do they bite humans?

No, silverfish are not known to bite people. In fact, they are rather skittish and will typically flee if disturbed.

Another thing to consider is that silverfish are often mistake for centipedes, which can actually inflict rather painful bites to humans and animals.