Do you have a silverfish infestation? Silverfish can cause property damage, especially to things around the home made of paper. The diet of silverfish consists mainly of sugar and starches. They will chew on paper products such as books, wallpaper and fabrics like linens and silk. Occasionally they will eat glue usually from books and shampoo. Something interesting about silverfish is they can actually go weeks without food, although this is certainly not preferred and they are actually drawn to environments that offer them a consistent food source. Although silverfish cause damage, they are not known to spread viruses or diseases or pose harm to people or pets. They are known as nuisance pests, because they destroy things but don’t inflict harm like bites or stings.