Occasional Infesters

What they look like
The  booklouse (aka psocid), silverfish (aka firebrat), and the  house centipede are all insects that will occasionally set up shop in a home. Booklice are rice-sized. Silverfish have three tails and are silvery colored. House centipedes have lots of legs-one pair on each of their body segments-and they scoot fast.

Where they live
They like warm damp areas. They will appear in bathrooms, getting stuck in the tub or sink. The basement is a common headquarters, especially if it was missed during your last spring cleaning.

What they do
Their look­—worrisome to a few—is the extent of their threat. They’re infesters because they’ll go through their whole life cycle in your house—feeding along the way. Invaders don’t do well once inside.
The house centipede—arguably the creepiest of the three—is actually beneficial. It eats other creepy crawlies in your home.
Booklice like to eat mold and other fungi.
Silverfish find a way to survive on all sorts of stuff: paper, fabric, stains, and wallpaper. The damage they cause won’t be noticeable if you rarely see them.