What are these creepy-crawlies? And how did they get into your house?
There ’ s well news and bad newsworthiness .
The bad news is that you probably have a silverfish infestation. The good newsworthiness is that you don ’ t have to live with it forever.
here at Smith ’ s Pest Management, our team deals with silverfish infestations in San Francisco Bay Area homes each day as part of our residential plague control services .
In this post, we ’ ll share a few of our acme tips for how to get rid of silverfish and keep your space bug-free for years to come .
Let ’ s honkytonk in .
What are Silverfish?
silverfish are one of the most common pest insects in the populace. They ’ ra sometimes called bristletails or paper fish, evening though their scientific name is Lepisma saccharinum .
silverfish are rapacious eaters who subsist on foods that are high gear in starches. They specially love paper, and will eat through boxes, books, and early family materials .
These insects are eloquent or grey in tinge, and their bodies are covered in bantam scales, which are often described as fish-like .
The body is broadest at the head, and tapers down to the buttocks end, where there are three hanker appendages, each covered in bristles. One of the appendages runs straight out from the end of the body, while the other two jut out from the leave and right sides of the torso at ninety-degree angles .
silverfish are about 0.5 ” -1 ” in duration and can live american samoa retentive as eight years. The insects are nocturnal and are rarely seen during the day hours .
What Attracts Silverfish to my House?
If you have a silverfish infestation, you ’ re credibly wondering where the bugs came from .
Here are the things that will attract silverfish to your house:
- Proper habitat. In their natural environments, silverfish live in damp, well-protected areas, like under logs and rocks, or in leaf litter. In a family environment, though, they tend to live behind furniture, in books, in basements, or near sinks. They need moisture to survive and will establish themselves anywhere moisture levels in your home are high .
- Food sources. Like all insects, silverfish need to eat. These bugs rely on starchy food sources like fibers, sugars, fabrics, grains, and dried goods – like cereals and darling food. separate of the reason that silverfish are indeed difficult to get rid of is that, in nature, they eat about anything, from starches and carbohydrates to protein. In their natural environment, they eat composting plant fabric, leaves, and other decomposing items. In your home, they ’ ll happily crunch on food scraps, roll pieces of favored food, and dried goods, like carbohydrate, flour, and cereal .
- Places to lay eggs. Silverfish lay eggs in colored, damp, hide areas of the home. The eggs are yellow or white, and bulb-shaped .
- A place to hide. Silverfish sexual love to establish themselves in protected areas like behind furniture, in bookshelves, or in dampen basements. While making your home inhospitable to silverfish will help get rid of them, you may need the help of a pest see specialist for severe infestations .
You might be wondering, “ Do silverfish mean my house is dirty? ” Contrary to popular myth, silverfish are not drawn to dirty homes .
rather, silverfish love moisture, so their presence tends to indicate moisture preferably than dirtiness in a dwelling. Since silverfish consume common build up and construction materials, even clean homes will offer them enough of nutriment .
That said, silverfish see dusty areas of the home as a assortment. Since dust is largely made of organic remainder, like homo skin and dander, silverfish can normally survive on scatter entirely .
As silverfish in your home die off or become hurt, the remaining living silverfish will eat the carcasses to fulfill their protein needs .
Are Silverfish Dangerous to People and Pets?
Silverfish are not harmful to people. They do not bite, sting, or carry diseases or pathogens .
even though they ’ re not a terror to your health, silverfish are not pests you want to live with .
silverfish can damage family goods and construct materials, and their creepy presence will cursorily make your home an unpleasant place to be .
additionally, some people with severe allergic symptoms may experience reactions to the feces or peel molts of silverfish .
5 Signs of a Silverfish Infestation
Think you might have silverfish in your home ? here are five signs to look for :
1. Seeing live silverfish
The foremost sign of silverfish infestation is the presence of alive silverfish. These minor, flexible, slippery insects range in tinge from blue-silver to brown-grey. They ’ ra shaped like a tear and jiggle back and away when they move, much like a fish does when swim .
Spotting silverfish is unmanageable since they are nocturnal, but seeing even a single live silverfish is a good indication that you have an infestation somewhere in the home .
2. Droppings
silverfish have fairly alone droppings. They look like small, black peppercorns, and are typically found in areas silverfish like to frequent, like the backs of furniture or the space below cupboards .
silverfish droppings are small enough that many people mistake them for dust or family debris. If you sweep once and they keep coming back, though, you ’ ll know you have a pest trouble .
3. Skin molts
silverfish shed their skins throughout their lives. The extinct shells are small, delicate, and crystalline, but are a good indication of a silverfish infestation .
4. Yellow stains on your belongings
even if you don ’ metric ton notice actual skin molts, you may see the chicken debris left behind on surfaces as silverfish shed. These yellow stains frequently show up in books, papers, cardboard boxes, or on clothing .
5. Damage to belongings
One of the easiest ways to spot silverfish is to identify the price they ’ ra induce. silverfish eat starchy food like wallpaper, linens, invest, and cardboard. Look for holes chewed through items like these to confirm that you have a silverfish infestation .
How to Get Rid of Silverfish Naturally: 6 Effective Home Remedies
If you have silverfish in your home, follow these tips to get rid of them :
1. Create your own silverfish traps
silverfish love starchy foods, and they ’ ll go to great lengths to seek them out. To get rid of them, put some flour, dried cereal, or pet food in a looking glass container. Leave the top off and wrap the external with tape .
Silverfish will be able to get into the jar by using the textured open of the tape. They won ’ thyroxine be able to get back out, though, because their feet can ’ triiodothyronine get grip on the politic glass surface inside .
Pros: Easy, affordable, safe for kids and pets, non-toxic
Cons: Unsightly, labor-intensive, requires you to dispose of dead silverfish
2. Use newspaper to attract them
Wet an old newspaper and coil it up. Silverfish will crawl into it and start making their homes. After a few days, throw the newspaper away in a sealed, airtight container. alternatively, you can burn it to get rid of the silverfish that have found their way inside .
Pros: Affordable, safe, non-toxic, simple, effective
Cons: May not be applicable for households with kids (who may move the trap), will not eliminate large concentrations of silverfish
3. Put out sticky traps
Sticky traps, available at most hardware or home and garden stores, are an excellent way to get rid of silverfish. Purchase several of these traps and place them anywhere you ’ ve noticed silverfish activity. After a few days, check the traps and discard any that have silverfish stuck to them .
Pros: Easy, affordable, effective, safe, non-toxic
Cons: Not ideal for homes with kids or pets, unsightly, requires you to check and remove old traps
4. Use cedar oil
Cedar oil is one of the many necessity oils used to get rid of silverfish, and is an specially effective pest killer for silverfish, clothes moths, and carpet beetles.
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For best results, home cedar oil in a diffuse, or mix respective drops of the petroleum into a spray bottle filled with warm urine and atomizer the mixture onto trouble areas .
If you ’ re using a diffuse, place it anywhere you ’ ve detect silverfish activity .
Pros: Effective, affordable, safe
Cons: May bother people with sensitive skin or allergies, requires regular re-application
5. Use dried bay leaves
You don ’ t need to go any further than your pantry for an effective silverfish repellent. Just grab a few dried bay leaves and place them anywhere you ’ ve seen silverfish signs .
silverfish are repelled by the oils in true laurel leaves, which have proven to be potent plague deterrents .
Pros: Easy, affordable, effective
Cons: Will not kill pests, may be messy, requires regular re-application of bay leaves
6. Use borax
Borax is an effective way to kill silverfish. For best results, purchase borax at your local dwelling goods store, and spread a slender layer anywhere you ’ ve noticed silverfish. It ’ s particularly appropriate for function on the back side of cabinets, along baseboards, in closets, and below appliances .
alternatively, you can use diatomaceous earth for the same aim .
Pros: Easy, affordable, effective
Cons: Messy, requires regular re-application, should be kept away from food, and should not be used near children or pets
2 Powerful Conventional Methods to Get Rid of Silverfish
Wondering how to get rid of silverfish once and for all ?
here are a few conventional methods to kill the pests :
1. Poison
Poison is an effective method acting of silverfish control. Like all insects, silverfish can be managed through diverse poisonous pest control methods. Foggers, bombs, and targeted sprays are all options for coping with a silverfish infestation .
Since these products are toxic and dangerous for kids, pets, and all other inhabitants of your family, though, we recommend limiting their use .
additionally, you should NEVER DIY these methods. rather, influence with a skilled plague control professional like Smith ’ second if you ’ re considering poison pest control options. We service customers in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, in California .
2. Traps
boughten traps are an effective way to get rid of silverfish. Like early poison command methods, these should be used with caution and should never be deployed in areas with kids or pets present .
How to Get Rid of Silverfish in Various Areas
In your apartment
If you have a severe silverfish infestation in your apartment, you ’ ll motivation to contact a license plague control service like Smith ’ sulfur. Working within the context of a rental apartment can be unmanageable, and you don ’ thymine want to unintentionally damage the property in the process or violate your rental agreement .
A professional pest management ship’s company will work with you and your landlord to provide a safe, effective service to solve your infestation trouble .
In the bathroom cabinets
Since silverfish love moisture, they gravitate toward bathtubs and drains. The last thing you want to do, though, is bathe with these creepy-crawlies. To get rid of silverfish in these areas, the best option is to dehydrate the area and get rid of their concealment places .
Eliminate all clutter in the toilet, including piled-up newspaper or towels, and give all the hide corners of the room a thoroughly vacuum. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in the corners of the room and add a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the room .
In your bed
Although silverfish prefer places like closets and bathrooms, it is possible to find them in your sleep together. If this happens, remove all sleep together and laundry it in hot body of water. Dry it on the highest possible set ( always check the framework care label first to make sure this won ’ metric ton price the item ) .
The future step is to remove clutter from around your bedroom. If the infestation is austere and you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Smith ’ second for professional plague control services in your bedroom .
In the attic or basement
The attic and basement are both concealed, silence places for silverfish to live. If you notice them in these spaces, you ’ ll need to take an aggressive approach. In these spaces, boric acerb is an excellent plague removal option .
Sprinkle it in the cracks and crevices throughout your basement, after you ’ ve vacuumed and swept up any debris and contract rid of clutter. The same tactic applies to your attic .
In the closet
You don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate want to use poison in your cupboard. alternatively, use a non-toxic repellent like cedar petroleum on the baseboards and seams of your closets. The olfactory property will prevent insects from attacking your clothing. Remember, a small goes a long way .
You don ’ t need to drench your clothing to keep silverfish off. In addition to applying the oil, be sure to vacuum the second and corners of your wardrobe .
Outside your home or in windows
Spray the outdoor of your base with boughten worm repellent, paying special attention to the agate line of your foundation, and the area around your windows and doors .
Remove clutter from around the outside of your family and cut back brush and leaf to at least 16 ” from your home plate .
How do Pest Control Experts Get Rid of Silverfish?
When you hire a silverfish plague control party like Smith ’ south, what can you expect ?
here ’ s the process our team uses to get rid of silverfish :
1. A thorough inspection
Our team always starts with a exhaustive inspection. One of our technical school will inspect the indoor and outdoor areas of your home to identify areas of concentrated pest bodily process, and any access points they may be using to get into your home .
We ’ ll besides evaluate environmental factors like landscaping, water sources, breeding habitats, and food sources the silverfish may be relying on .
2. Deployment of a customized plan
Based on what we find during our inspection, we ’ ll design a plague management plan to help reduce silverfish populations .
This pest management plan will include Integrated Pest Management ( IPM ) practices and techniques that focus both on eliminating the pests and resolving the fundamental causes of the infestation .
3. Ongoing Pest Control Services
once we ’ ve catch rid of the initial silverfish infestation, we ’ ll provide ongoing pest control services to keep them from coming back .
While we normally provide monthly or quarterly pest control services, we ’ ll determine the right frequency for you based on the nature of your property and the asperity of your silverfish problem .
6 Helpful Tips to Prevent Future Silverfish Infestations
Regarding silverfish infestations, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of bring around. Use these tips to prevent future silverfish infestations on your property :
- Keep a clean home. A uninfected home helps prevent pests of all kinds. It besides gives you an opportunity to inspect for signs of a new plague infestation, like droppings and peel molts. With this in mind, dust and vacuum your home at least once a workweek, or more frequently if you have kids or pets .
- Seal all dry food and pet food in airtight containers. If you have food in boxes, like cereal, decant it into sealed, airtight containers. Store larger bags in big rubber tub with tight-fitting lids. Clean up all food spills promptly .
- Get rid of silverfish food sources. Remember : silverfish corrode both organic and non-organic materials. To keep them away, get rid of external food sources like piles of brush, dead plants, wood piles, and leaves. Keep the circumference of your home clean and clear of leaves, shrubbery, or early moisture-rich debris. Inside, make sure to secure all food sources ( as mentioned above ) and get rid of clutter, such as piles of paper and cardboard boxes .
- Keep your clothing in a dry place. Eliminate humidity in your base by storing your dress in a cool, dry environment. Keep them out of the basement and install a dehumidifier if your home tends to be damp .
- Seal the cracks. Use caulk to seal small cracks around windows and doors and prevent entree points that silverfish and early pests may be using to get into your dwelling.
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- Focus on ventilation. Remember – silverfish love moisture. To make your home a inhospitable as possible for them, focus on ventilating rooms that tend to stay warm and damp, like bathrooms. You can besides use a dehumidifier or a vent sports fan to keep things cool and dry .
Are Silverfish Invading Your San Francisco Bay Area Home or Business? We’re Here to Help!
here at Smith ’ s Pest Management, we help residential and commercial properties from Northern California to Monterey get rid of pests, including silverfish. If you have a silverfish infestation in your dwelling, our team can help .
Contact us today to learn more about our services or book your silverfish treatment today.
