Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and all their relatives (in the insect order: Thysanura) have been around for 300 million years, they really did know the dinosaurs! They are genuine ‘living fossils’ rather like the Coelacanth (which will be the subject of a later article).
Some silverfish live outdoors, but we are more familiar with the ones we find in the bath! They are harmless, but because they love to eat anything that contains starch they are often considered pests. They come out at night and are usually seen scampering around on the floor when the bathroom (or kitchen) light is switched on during a nocturnal visit!
Silverfish are about 10mm long with three long ‘tails’. Silverfish are not only ancient – they are very tough (they can even grow new legs if they need to!). They can go for long periods of time without food and are quite tolerant of dry conditions (for a soft-bodied creature).
They can live a long time (up to eight years!), but they take a long time growing up. And, as if to compensate for this, they reproduce very slowly (for an insect). The female will only lay around 100 eggs during her lifetime.
All this makes them the ideal pet for someone like me – they take up little space, are easy to feed, will live a long time, and don’t take much looking after. You can go away on holiday and just forget about them!
The closely related ‘Firebrat’ (Thermobia domestica) prefers warm places. You don’t find him in the bathroom, but around hot pipes and fireplaces (that’s where his common name comes from!).
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A small, squirmy and common household bug, many wonder whether silverfish bite. Although they do chomp on many things in our households, silverfish do not bite humans. But that doesn’t stop them from being considered a pest.
Silverfish can often be found in one of two places. They love to live in bookshelves, or anywhere there is paper that is left relatively undisturbed. They also thrive in bathrooms, where the moisture and mildew growth provide a perfect habitat.
A silverfish is a small, shiny grey insect that grows from ¼” to ½” in size. While they don’t swim (despite their name), their tail does move back and forth while they walk in a swishing, fish-like manner. They are also flat like a fish and can fit into skinny, small spaces.
The first and most important step in getting rid of silverfish bugs is to get rid of excess moisture in your home. It has been known that these silverfish pests thrive in areas that have the presence of moisture like the attic, laundry rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms sinks and even your garage.
They are attracted to areas with high humidity and water. Immediately fix any leaky pipes and invest in a dehumidifier. Although this product will cost you, it will keep silverfish at bay.
These pests are like any other pests. If there is a presence of food around, they will thrive.
They can eat various materials such as crumbs, mold, cotton, silk, paper, and linen. They also love paste and starch that is why you can also see them thrive in wallpapers, books, and bookshelves.
So whenever you see a silverfish infestation, immediately seal up your cracks and fill the holes in your house and even the foundation. By doing so, it will prevent these pests from entering.
You may also try using garlic cloves. Put cloves conspicuously in the areas where you see the pests. Do not miss out on cracks and holes or even the shelves that you feel they might be hiding in.
Eventually, the silverfish will disappear because the smell will be everywhere and this will be like kryptonite for them. If this does not work, you may try using lavender. Dry them and put them in the same areas. Just like garlic cloves, they will hate the smell of lavender and will die eventually.
Diatomaceous Earth is white powder that will kill silverfish. Now, this powder kills silverfish by physical action. It scratches off the waxing coating and causes the pest to dehydrate. Diatomaceous Earth is safe for humans and pets and it works also for other pests like roaches, ants, bedbugs and even spiders. It`s well worth of trying to get rid of silverfish naturally by using diatomaceous earth.
One easy way to get rid of silverfish is to use traps. Silverfish traps attract silverfish in with the promise of food. To make a trap, find a glass jar and wrap masking tape outside the jar with sticky side facing out. Next, put some food, like bread, inside the jar to attract silverfish in. Once they get inside the jar, they can`t climb out because the inside surface of the jar is too slippery.
You know, silverfish hate the smell of citrus and that`s good news for you! Use the citrus spray in areas where you see silverfish and see what happens! Perhaps you can get rid of silverfish bugs by using citrus spray! this works well with small infestation…
You can also try to use technology to eliminate silverfish. Ultrasound devices won`t kill silverfish or other bugs but they can help you to keep them away as they create a sound that makes silverfish uncomfortable.
Note: some people report these devices to work well while others say they do not work too well with a serious silverfish infestation.
Still, if you only have a small silverfish problem, you may want to try ultrasound devices.
The best advice that we could give on how to get rid of silverfish naturally still lies in the proper and cautious initiative of homeowners in their homes.
It is very important to keep your homes clean and dry all the time as this not only prevents the presence of silverfish but all other pests as a whole.
Make sure that you and all family members make a joint effort to fight back with the pests whether they are silverfish or not. But if any of these steps do not work, you may contact your trusted pest control provider and have them scan your whole house for the presence of silverfish as well as other pesky little pests.
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