Silverfish vs Snow Scorpionfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Silverfish Snow Scorpionfly
Scientific Name Lepisma saccharinum Boreus hyemalis
Order Zygentoma Mecoptera
Family Lepismatidae Boreidae
Size 10-15mm 3-5 mm
Habitat Indoors Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Worldwide Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Silverfish

A primitive wingless insect with a silvery scaled body and three tail filaments. A common household inhabitant.

💡

Did You Know?

Has existed in essentially the same form for 400 million years making it one of the oldest surviving insect designs.

Snow Scorpionfly

A tiny wingless scorpionfly active in winter, walking on snow near mossy habitats. Its vestigial wings are reduced to hook-like structures used during mating.

💡

Did You Know?

Snow scorpionflies are most active at temperatures near freezing and can sometimes be found by the hundreds walking across snow-covered moss.