Silverfish
A silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) is a small, wingless
insect in the order Zygentoma (formerly Thysanura). Its common name derives
from the animal's silvery light grey color, combined with the fish-like
appearance of its movements. However, the scientific name (L. saccharina),
indicates the silverfish's diet consists of carbohydrates such as sugar or
starches.
Wikipedia
In my mother’s Veracruz my Rosemary and I faced flying cockroaches
in the bathroom in the middle of the night. In Buenos Aires my parents and I
survived hordes of grasshoppers that did not leave a single leaf in our plum
trees. But it wasn’t until we moved to our Kerrisdale home in Vancouver that I
got to know an insect I had never seen or heard about before. This is Lepisma
saccharina. By the time I knew about them the damage was done including making
neat holes on my best suit jacket.
When I discovered this fine little story by Uruguayan
author Eduardo Galeano I smiled and knew which book I would use to illustrate
this blog!
Sopa de letras (the story in English below)
Eduardo Galeano
La Jornada
Por el tamaño y el brillo, parece una lágrima. Los
científicos lo llaman lepisma
saccharina, pero él responde al nombre de pescadito de plata, aunque de pez no
tiene nada y no conoce el agua.
Se
dedica a devorar libros, aunque tampoco tiene nada de polilla. Come lo que
encuentra, novelas, poemas, enciclopedias, poquito a poco, engullendo palabra
por palabra, en cualquier idioma.
Se pasa
la vida en la oscuridad de las bibliotecas. De lo demás, ni se entera. La
luz del día lo mata.
Sería
erudito, si no fuera insecto.
