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.