Silverfish are a nocturnal insects that scavenge for food and water in basements, attics, and closets throughout the night. Their small, flat bodies help them to hide effectively in the tightest nooks and crannies during the day. They are naturally adept at hiding in what would seem the most impossible of places. Often, homeowners don’t know these bugs are around until seeing one in the bathroom or discovering damaged items in the house.
Identifying Silverfish
These creatures are common in most households throughout the United States and are recognizable by their tapered oblong bodies and long antennae. Some key features of this pest are:
- Shiny grayish color
- Between 1/2″ to 3/4″ long
- Soft wingless bodies
- 2 long antennae
- Tapered oblong body
- 3 long appendages that seem almost part of their tail
- Adults have scales
There are four known species of this type of insect that is known more broadly as a “silverfish”. They act very similarly to each other and cause the same types of damage. The more noticeable difference between them all is that their coloration can vary between a silvery gray, muddy brown, or striped.
Signs of Silverfish Infestation
It’s important to assess how many of these insects have infested your home before making an extermination plan. You should try to confirm the locations they prefer to hide. Some of the methods you can use in order to get an idea would be using simple glue traps.
For example, you can buy some sticky traps sold for trapping cockroaches at your local hardware store or try a jar with tape around the outside. The silverfish will climb up the sticky exterior of the jar and become trapped on the inside. The slick surface of the jar when it falls in prevents it from climbing back out. It’s important to place these types of traps in areas you strongly suspect are frequented by your unwanted visitors.
You can also look for recognizable signs of their presence around your home. Look for the following if you’ve spotted a silverfish crawling around your home:
- Droppings – These usually appear as small round black pellets found in boxes, food cabinets, or even your books.
- Silverfish damage – Look for holes in cardboard storage boxes, wallpaper, books, food boxes, and even some lighter fabric clothing.
- Odd Yellow Stains – Check your clothing, wallpaper, books, or papers on your desk for unusual yellow spots that might indicate silverfish presence.
- Scales and Skin – Silverfish shed their skin throughout their entire lifecycle. Look for small husks or scales around areas you suspect they have caused damage.
How to Prevent Silverfish
As with any other bug infestation, prevention plays an important role. A sure way to control silverfish is to create a prevention plan. This will not only help to control the current population of this pest in your home but can help limit recurring infestations later on down the road.
Some popular recommendations to help prevent silverfish are:
- Keep water and humid air sources to a minimum
- Eliminate hiding spots like cracks around doors and windows
- Eliminate food sources by using airtight storage options and vacuuming frequently
Professional Silverfish Extermination
When all else fails, or if you don’t want to deal with these disturbing-looking creatures to begin with, hiring a professional exterminator is your best option. Services might require the application of insecticides, and our pest management professionals at My Private Exterminator are here to help. Our pest control team can create an effective strategy to get rid of your silverfish problem once and for all.
My Private Exterminator offers over 15 years of pest control experience. Contact our team of professional exterminators today at (347) 305-8524 or reach us here to learn about an effective extermination plan for your silverfish issue.