Silverfish

Silverfish are small insects less than an inch long with an interesting appetite. They get the name from their silvery coloring and how they look similar to a fish when they move about a surface.

Silverfish can be found in many states throughout the US. If you happen to get these in your home, beware, they can cause a great deal of damage to some of your belongings.

Silverfish are typically found indoors and are active yearlong, they don’t like direct light so they are mostly active during the night. They can live for quite a few years if a predator doesn’t get them first.

Diet and Lifestyle

Silverfish have a fondness for paper and damp material, so they have been known to eat up books, drywall, glue, starchy items, and even clothing.

Silverfish like to live in damp, dark places like your basement or bathroom and can live without eating for up to a year.

Silverfish are nocturnal, like to hide and move swiftly, so you might never catch a glimpse of them, but they can do quite a bit of damage that could go unnoticed to your home and household items.

Silverfish may sound like yucky bugs, but they are not harmful to humans, just an aggravation, especially if they’ve eaten up your favorite book or caused damage to your walls.

If you store items in the basement, garage, or attic of your home, use well sealed plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes and if you store seasonal clothing items you might also look into using space saver bags.

If the area where you store your belongings is damp and humid it could be a sign there is something in need of repair or in need of a good cleaning.

How to Get Rid of Silverfish

Good ventilation and controlling humidity is the first step to preventing a silverfish infestation.

Other steps you can take are:

1. Clear old newspapers and switch to something else if you store items in paper boxes.
2. If you know you have a silverfish problem and where they might enter and exit the nest, put strips of sticky tape nearby. This might help eliminate some of them until you can get a professional out.
3. Food grade diatomaceous earth may also help in and around cracks they may be exiting and entering from. Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of phytoplankton. It appears, to our eyes, to be just a powder like substance but there are very tiny and very sharp microscopic particles that get stuck under the shell of certain bugs, the diatomaceous earth then punctures the body causing the insect to dehydrate and die. It can create a bit of dust when laying it down so it’s recommended to wear a mask and not have kids or pets around.
4. It’s said silverfish don’t like the odor of some herbs and spices such as: clove, cinnamon, and sage. You can try leaving some in a bowl near the nest and try and deter them this way.

If you are sure you have an infestation of silverfish, you may want to consider calling a professional as you will need to make sure you are getting not just the adults but the eggs as well.