Firebrat
Introduction
All members of the order Thysanura have a teardrop/carrot/fishshaped
body and get the common name of bristletail because of their three long,
bristle-like or tail-like appendages on the posterior (rear) end of their
body. Firebrat is the common name for those species, which prefer
areas of high temperature, 90-degree Fahrenheit, and above. Firebrats are found
throughout the United States and the world.
Recognition
Adult body length, not including tails, is about 1/2 inch long. Wingless with
flattened body. Shape teardrop/carrot/fishlike, tapering from head to
rear, and generally covered with scales. Color uniformly grayish or
grayish with numerous dark markings. Antennae long, threadlike.
Posterior end of abdomen with three long, bristle-like appendages. In
addition, compound eyes small, widely separated; ocelli absent; coxae
lack styli; tarsi three or four segmented; some abdominal segments with a
pair of styli; abdominal
sternites with median setal combs; abdominal tergites lack out dorsal
setal combs, and last abdominal tergite wider that long.
Immatures are similar to adults in appearance, except for size. Scales
appear with third or fourth molt.
Habits
Firebrats prefer areas of high humidity, but temperature is the
critical factor. They typically are found in areas where the
temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit and above. Such places include boiler
rooms, bakeries, hot attics, steam tunnels, around ovens, furnaces,
fireplaces, hot-water heaters and pipes, etc., with breeding areas
possibly in adjacent wall voids, subflooring, etc. They are fast
runners, prefer the dark, hide during the day, and prefer to hide or
nest in tight cracks or crevices. Firebrats feed on both carbohydrates
and proteins, attacking such things as rolled oats, dried beer, bond
paper, linen, cotton, silk, finishes of rayon carpets and some other carpet fibers.
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