(Latin: Lepisma saccharina) The common silverfish frequently occurs in kitchens and comes out at night to feed on crumbs and odd scraps of food. It is capable of digesting cellulose and so can derive nutriment from paper. It is described in greater detail on p. 106 together with other pests that attack paper.
Order Thysanura
Latin: order Thysanura These are primitive insects, and the few living species are thought to be the descendants of a group which was very numerous about two hundred million years ago. Two species may be encountered indoors.
Animals in foods
Ever since our ancestors found out how to keep foods in reserve for bad times, insects and rodents have taken their toll of such stores. The remains of pests of stored products (e.g. flour beetles) have been found in graves from2,500 B.C., and drugstore beetles, spider beetles and tobacco beetles were found in the grave […]
Bees
Solitary bees (p. 180), honey bees and bumblebees (p. 179) can all sting. The sting of a small solitary bee is normally very mild, but a bumblebee sting may be very painful. On the other hand, it is very unusual for bumblebees to sting and in fact they have to be very severely provoked before […]
Wasps and hornets
A wasp uses its sting for killing prey, but it can also use it very effectively as a defensive weapon. The sting has associated glands which produce venom. A hornet sting can be very painful, but is normally not dangerous, as the amount of venom injected is very small. In some cases, however, people do […]
Animal names and systematics
In using a book of this type it is essential to understand the method of naming animals. The scientific study known as systematics is concerned with naming animals and plants, and with arranging them in groups which indicate their relationships with one another. Modern systematics is based on the work of the Swedish naturalist Carl […]
Houses as animals habitats
In addition to a favourable climate, an animal must have the right food and plenty of places to hide or shelter in if it is to thrive. The average house certainly has plenty of hiding-places, but it does not always fulfil the other requirements. It would be wrong to suppose that the comfortable warmth of […]