Pest/bug experts: what are these guys? [Warning: pictures inside!]

[cleanup]

So my roommate and I have been finding these little guys on our hard floors lately. I used to see some in the bedrooms and in the bathroom but they seem to have figured out where the food is, so they appear to mostly nest somewhere below our kitchen cupboards or below the floors/inside the baseboards. They don't like the light that much, are extremely afraid of our disturbance (they quickly scuttle away into a miniscule crack where the cupboard meets the floor) and don't seem aggressive. They're deathly afraid of us so I'm not sure if they bite. They are, however, easy to kill.

Also, they like cornflakes. I guess they come out looking for crumbs of starch (crumbs of toast or a tiny cornflake that has dropped on the floor like below)

The most distinguishing feature about them is that on their posterior end they have three long protrusions, two to each side and one directly backward. They also have two very long antennae. From far away they look a bit like earwigs, but upon closer inspection they're not dark coloured, but either grey (as seen here) or sometimes a more pale beige, almost clear colour. (seems like there are two types).

The youngins (which I've seen) are ABSOLUTELY MINISCULE. They look like their adult counterpats except they don't have long antennae and the long protrusions on the back.

While the babies are about only a millimetre long, the adults (or so I assume) can be up to a centimetre.

Has anybody seen these before? They seem to collect there there is a) dust and b) bits of starch to nibble on.

In retrospect, I took such a close photo that you can see that bugger's eyes. And aww, he's kind of cute. But I'd rather they move out.

Any ideas? What are they? Should I just seal up the areas where the cupboard meets the floors? Or just deal with them? They only come out at most 3 or 4 at a time. And usually just one or two. So I kill maybe 1-3 a day. I'm just afraid of some sort of outbreak. That would be disgusting.

Cheers!

[Eidorian]

I'm thinking silverfish.

[designgeek]

Don't they look like something from Star Trek that someone would put in your ear and control your actions?

[bartelby]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

I'm thinking silverfish.

My thought too.

[AngryApple]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

I'm thinking silverfish.

That is what I'm thinking. Silverfish are notorious for loving startch.

[cleanup]

Cool. Thanks guys. Looks like they're pretty common. I've heard of them before, just never encountered them.

I didn't know they feasted on cotton! That's why I found one hovering around one of my rugs. But I love my rugs.

Despite the cuteness of the ones we seem to have, I guess they gotta go. I don't want them destroying my rugs.

So we'll clean up more regularly, keep our cereals in a higher cupboard instead of on the counter, and maybe get some silverfish control products. And some silicone caulk for those cupboards.

Cheers!