Silverfish are found in basements, kitchens, sinks, bathtubs, in bookcases, on closet shelves, behind baseboards, wallpaper, window or door frames, wall voids, and sub-floor areas. Because they molt during their adult lives their cast skins may be a useful detection too. Silverfish diets are high in protein, sugar, or starch, including cereals, moist wheat flour, starch in book bindings, and paper on which there is glue or paste.

Silverfish can damage book bindings, wallpaper, paper products and dry foods. They may eat holes, irregular shaped in the wallpaper to get to the paste. Silverfish may bite very small holes in various fabrics, including cotton, linen, and silk, even though they cannot digest either linen or cotton. Firebrats will feed extensively on rayon, whereas silverfish usually damage it only slightly.

They may leave a yellowish stain on fabric. Outside, they may be found in nest of insects, birds, mammals, and under tree bark and mulch They can be found in wood shingles or sidings on houses, they may enter the home from these.