Silverfish can be found just about anywhere throughout the world, and in just about any building: homes, businesses, and restaurants. They are very good at adapting and surviving hostile environments, and can easily make your basement, attic, air ducts, or storage room their home. So, what are they exactly, and what are their habits? And, most importantly, how can you best deal with these pests? This article will give you an overview of this fish out of water.
Identifying Silverfish
Silverfish get their name because they look like… well, tiny, silver fish. They can be gray, but could also be dark brown or even blue in color. Most are around half an inch in length (smaller than a dime). They have two long antennae and several appendages on the rear that look like tails. They are very fast, and can dart across the floor so quickly you may not see them at all. Silverfish do not like light, which keeps them out of the open, and if they are disturbed, they will scurry to a new hiding spot as soon as possible.
Silverfish Infestations
Most silverfish infestations begin outside. They find their way inside as they look for controlled climate and variety of dark, uninhabited spots help them sustain populations. This environment also allows them to stick around when the weather becomes drier in the summer. They thrive in moist, humid environments. Due to their sensitivity to light, silverfish prefer dark undisturbed places.
They eat products found in pantries like flour and oats, as well as ordinary items like paper, wallpaper, and even books and clothing. Combining their preferred climate conditions with their sugar- and starch-based diet, you’re apt to have infestations pop up in the following spots:
Bathroom: They love the moist conditions around the sink and bathtub.
Basement/Attic: They look for cluttered spots in which to hide, as well as paper and clothing to eat.
Kitchen: They prefer moist conditions around the sink, and seek pantry items to eat.
Silverfish can get into homes in a few different ways. Most commonly, they do so by squeezing through cracks and openings. They will also crawl into boxes and bins that are brought into the home, letting them set up shop where the items are later stored (common places include basements, attics, and garages).
Silverfish females can deliver one to three eggs per day which are hidden in cracks throughout your home for protection. You may see feeding marks, although they may be irregular whether they are holes, notches along an edge, or surface etchings. Yellow stains, scales and/or feces (tiny black pepper-like pellets) may also be seen on infested materials.
Unfortunately, silverfish can live for up to four years, which means they can plague an area even after being displaced!
Damage from Silverfish
Silverfish cause a variety of problems once inside your space. Most of their effects are mild, but they can become detrimental over a long period of time. Here are ways silverfish can wreak havoc for homeowners:
Damage items: Because silverfish like to eat items like paper, glue, and cotton, silverfish can be quite destructive to many of your belongings.
Endanger your health: Although they don’t spread viruses, they can trigger allergic reactions and spread harmful bacteria.
Attract other pests: Pests above them in the food chain, such as spiders, earwigs, centipedes, and carpet beetles, are lured inside with silverfish as bait.
Reproduce quickly: Their eggs hatch in as few as 20 days, exponentially expanding their populations and the problems they cause.
Prevent Silverfish
Pest prevention steps like keeping a kitchen or dining area clean is important, but because silverfish can be so opportunistic, it can be hard to fully keep these pests out. Yellow streaks in a book can be a sign there is a silverfish infestation, along with small bite marks in other places. In general, as a home or business you should be vigilant in defense against silverfish.
Here are some ways to prevent an infestation:
Seal dry goods like cereal, pasta, rice, quinoa, flour, sugar, and pet food in sturdy, airtight containers.
Minimize or eliminate clutter and junk stored items. Store items in airtight hard plastic containers – not cardboard boxes which they love to eat.
Use a dehumidifier in damp basements to help eliminate the moist, humid environments where silverfish thrive. Seal up leaky pipes and make sure the bathroom is well ventilated.
Inspect and seal the entrances around windows and door frames, utility pipes and vents. Eliminate or repair any moldy or wet wood.
Eliminate Silverfish!
If silverfish have infested your home, setting traps or pesticides seems like an obvious solution. Yet, this type of do-it-yourself pest control is only effective when dealing with a few insects and you may be using chemicals harmful to your family and pets. With silverfish’s isolated lifestyle and high reproduction rates, populations usually need help from pest control professionals to guarantee full elimination from your home.
A pest control company will assess your infestation, then apply safe and effective treatments to eliminate adults and eggs from your home. And, along with ongoing pest control service, we will help you figure out preventative solutions for silverfish and other pests. So, call Sentry Pest Control and let us catch some fish!
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