Timber Silverfish

Timber silverfish are an annoying pest that prefers wooded coastline. Their range spreads all the way down the continents eastern edge from the upper reaches of Menerv to the scrubby Northern Desert of Riba.

Common Silverfish are library and woodland pests, feeding on leaf debris, paper, shed exoskeletons, and other fine fibers. These are not those silverfish. Timber silverfish as the name indicates are known for their consumption and destruction of wood. They are social insects gathering in unorganized nests to regulate temperature according to their climate and breed (see climate adaptations).

Along with eating wood pulp and sap Timber silverfish also substitute their diets with other small invertebrates, as well as small reptiles and mammals. Interestingly, they easily process most plant toxins with the byproducts being being execrated in a oily cover, or perhaps being directly incorporated into new layers of exoskeleton. This means they can be both poisonous and venomous or completely harmless to handle.

Appearance

As a group Timber silverfish are differentiated from common silverfish by their much larger size, and substantial jaws along with their climate adaptions that vary according to their species.

Climate Adaptations

There are two main subspecies of Timber Silverfish, Northern and Arid. The two groups have some crossover and have been observed living together and interbreeding. This mixing of species increases in areas that have long durations of both hot and cool weather during the day allowing them to regulate the temperature in their nest more effectively.

The Arid Timber Silverfish are thin and pale with a long wing-like frills down their back that cannot help them become airborne but do move air around the nest effectively. This species Is mostly crepuscular Staying in the nest to regulated temperature during blistering daytime hours and falling into torpor to conserve energy during frigid desert nights.

Northern Timber Silverfish are bulky and dark with a covering of fine downy fluff to help insulate them from freezing winters. The fluff is oiled and somewhat water retardant allowing them to float overtop small amounts of water effectively. They are primarily diurnal to catch as much heat as possible before retreating to heavily insulated "bedchambers" to sleep.

Habatat and Habits

While their range is extensive Timber silverfish do not inhabit every area that fall under it due to their particular preferences. Coastline that has low salinity is disliked, possibly due to some mold or other pest to the silverfish that is irritated my salt. They also dislike areas with mild climates preferring regular temperature shifts that support their rest/work cycles, this resembles sleep habits interestingly close to mammals, birds, and reptiles opposed to other similar insects. Bizarrely Timber silverfish have a preference towards industrial areas such as shipyards and warehouse districts despite the high amounts of disturbance that their cousins avoid.