inch in length and have two antennae, three tails and six legs.... Younger silverfish look the same

The guardians of our national heritage have said they are winning the fight against a bug which would otherwise feast on some of the country's finest historic treasures. Clothes moth numbers have fallen 18 percent at the National Trust's stately homes, according to the charity's annual insect pests report. The fall follows a 39 percent drop the previous year, benefitting the Trust's carpets, upholstery, taxidermy, woollen and silk artefacts and objects. Report author, Alexandra Radford, Assistan

Tapestries, furniture and soft furnishings in some of Britain's most historic buildings are at risk from a surge in household pests driven by climate change. Historic Royal Palaces, which manages six palaces in London and Northern Ireland including Hampton Court and parts of Kensington Palace, has seen the breeding rate of clothes moths in its properties more than double. Kathryn Hallett, the head of conservation and collection care at Historic Royal Palaces, told The Telegraph:" Over the last d