Silverfish is a name given to the insect because of its silver color, and their body moves side-to-side like fish.
Why People Like Your Home
- Eat a lot. They eat polysaccharides, which are sugary substances found in many household items, including carpet fibers and household glue.
- Hide in dark, moist places. The eggs look like white and Yellow bulbs. They are hidden in moist, dark areas.
- Moisture. Moisture is a major factor in their success.
- Places for them to thrive. These insects can live as long as 8 years, and they reproduce often throughout their life. They can be an annoyance and can damage household items over time.
6 Methods to Eliminate Silverfish
Silverfish can be eliminated with both at-home remedies and special tools that are available in many home improvement stores.
- Wrap the outside of a glass container with tape. Put starchy foods or substances in it. Silverfish can climb up the textured tape surface to enter the jar, but their feet will not adhere to the smooth surface of the glass inside.
- Roll the newspaper. It will be a home for silverfish if you wet it. After a couple of days, burn or throw away the newspaper to get rid the silverfish.
- Use sticky traps. Silverfish will crawl on them and become stuck.
- Use small pieces of silverfish poison. Do not use this method with pets or children that may eat the poison or touch it.
- Use cedar or oil. Use the cedar oil in a spray bottle or a diffuser. Cedar oil has strong pheromones that they hate.
- Spread dried bay leaf throughout your house. Its oils repel silverfish and other insects.
In small numbers, silverfish pose no threat to the indoor environment or your health.
These insects provide food to spiders and predatory insects. This can be beneficial for the indoor environment.
They can cause damage to your possessions or become an infestation over time.
How to Avoid Silverfish
Here are some ways to prevent silverfish in your home from becoming an issue:
- Store all dry foods in containers that are tightly sealed. They will remain free from moisture.
- Dust often. Silverfish will not be attracted to particles that contain starches and saccharides.
- Remove all adhesives from your home. Silverfish can be attracted by stacks of paper, cardboard boxes or laundry.
- Store clothing in a dry place. Keep clothes that you won’t be wearing for a long time in containers where silverfish cannot get in.
- Remove any food particles from your home. Do this immediately after eating. Use a HEPA-vacuum to remove silverfish eggs. This will prevent them from reproducing.
- Use caulking. Use caulking to seal up any cracks or holes. This will keep silverfish away and prevent them from laying their eggs.
- Buy a dehumidifier. Do you live in a humid climate? Reduce the humidity of your indoor air by at least 60% to prevent silverfish from thriving and living in your home.
- Ventilate all rooms that become warm and humid. This can include your bathroom or kitchen. Open doors and windows, and use fans to remove moisture from the air.
- Remove leaves, dead plants and other damp debris from the area around your house.
Silverfish and Our Health
No stingers or biters
Silverfish are not dangerous and do not bite or sting. They also don’t carry any known diseases.
Allergens
Silverfish debris can cause allergic reactions in some people. Some people are allergic to the droppings or molted skin of silverfish.
The tropomyosin protein, which is found in the molted exoskeletons of these pests, can combine with other allergens in common indoor pests such as Dust Mites. Recombinant allergens can cause stronger allergic reactions.
Silverfish can be an allergen for some people who are allergic dust mites.
Takeaway
Silverfish is a harmless insect that can cause little damage to your home.
They can be an annoyance when they multiply in large numbers.
Many people’s skin can produce allergens, which, when combined indoors with dust, other microscopic particles, can cause allergy symptoms such as itching, coughing, and mucus.
Silverfish are not difficult to get rid of. You can easily remove silverfish from your home by following a few simple removal and prevention techniques.
