Why & How Do I Have Silverfish In My House - Green Giant

Why Do I Have Silverfish in My House & How Do I Get Rid of Them?

Silverfish are unusual-looking insects that predate dinosaurs. Silverfish are nocturnal; they prefer dark, damp places, and they wriggle around when they move. They feed on starchy materials and sugars, including paper, glue, book bindings, wallpaper paste, cardboard, and even some fabrics.

How do Silverfish Get In the House?

Since silverfish are tiny and quick, they can easily slither through very small cracks, gaps, or other openings in a building.  Doors often have small gaps that they can crawl through. Good door-sweeps can help keep them (and other insects) out of your house.

On occasion, silverfish may hitchhike on firewood or on other materials brought into the building. When they are in a house, there is most often an infestation outside the house. Silverfish can climb to get into a building, and, on occasion, silverfish will find their way onto a bed or other furniture.

When you are trying to determine where the silverfish come from, keep in mind that they need moisture and high humidity to survive. This is why it is common for silverfish to live in bathrooms and laundry rooms – they love those warm, damp environments!

Things like overgrown weeds and matted-down leaves around a house also provide the wet conditions and an unending food supply for Silverfish.

Eliminating damp conditions outside will make your home less silverfish-friendly. Sealing off gaps with caulking can also prevent silverfish from getting inside.

What do Silverfish Look Like?

Silverfish are those slithery, silver critters you occasionally see scampering around your kitchen, bathroom or basement. They are about ½” long, have antennae about the same length as their bodies, and three “tails.”

While they are slithery and slimy and no one wants them in their house, it is rare that silverfish are a major problem in our part of the country.

At Green Giant, we consider silverfish a nuisance pest and most often get 100% control with only one visit. Silverfish infestations can get quite large and difficult to control in warmer, more humid climates.

Need to get rid of silverfish?

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What are the Signs of a Silverfish Infestation?

• Sightings of silverfish: they are fast-moving and often spotted in bathrooms, basements, kitchens, or around sinks and tubs
• Shed skins: silverfish shed their skins throughout their life cycle, so you may find tiny, translucent exoskeletons in areas they frequent
• Yellow stains or dust: infested areas may show yellowish stains or tiny black specks (silverfish feces) on books, paper, or clothing
• Irregular holes or notches in paper goods and fabrics: silverfish feed on carbohydrates (like glue, paper, and fabrics) that can be found in things like books, wallpaper edges, cardboard boxes, and clothing (especially cotton, linen, and silk)

When are Silverfish Active?

Silverfish are most active at night. Being nocturnal, they can easily go unnoticed, and populations can multiply pretty fast. During the day, they hide in nooks and crannies in dark areas. If you turn on a light in a damp basement, for example, you may see some silverfish scamper away.

Will Silverfish Go Away on Their Own?

For silverfish to just go away, the moisture and/or food sources need to be eliminated. Silverfish cannot live without moisture and high humidity, so the first thing to do is dry things out. If you can stop the source of the water, great. If you can’t, a dehumidifier may be needed to do the job. The drier the better.  Since Silverfish eat so many common household items, it is harder to remove their food sources.

At Green Giant, we consider silverfish a nuisance pest and most often get 100% control with only one visit. Silverfish infestations can get quite large and difficult to control in warmer, more humid climates.

Are There Any Natural Pest Control Options for Silverfish?

Yes, when we treat silverfish organically, we use a cedar-oil-based product.

Take the hassle out of DIY with a Quarterly Pest Control program, providing year-round protection against the most common pests.

Call or Text 610-944-0408 Today!

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