A silverfish is
surprisingly actually an insect rather than a fish. Their long and skinny bodies are silver or metallic in color with two antennas. They slither around and can infest your home in no time at all.
Silverfish will not harm a human, but they are still a nuisance. Silverfish feed on paper or cardboard, as well as clothing. They like moist areas in your home such as the bathroom or basement.
If you
spotted a silverfish in your home, there’s a pretty good chance you have more than just that one. Get rid of these pests by following the silverfish pest control tips below.
Decrease Humidity
Since these bugs like moist areas, try to get rid of the humidity in the air, especially in basements. Use a dehumidifier to dry up this portion of your home. If your entire house is humid, then run your air conditioner to help dehumidify, or use a whole-house dehumidifier.
Repair Leaky Faucets
Moisture in the air is one thing, but if you have a leak creating a moist environment, you need to repair it. Whether it’s a leaky faucet, tub, or drain pipe, make the necessary repair to prevent moisture that can attract not only silverfish, but other pests as well, such as rodents, roaches, and ants.
Clear Out Clutter
If you have old magazines laying around, junk mail piles, boxes of newspaper, or boxes of clothing sitting around, it’s time to clean this clutter out. This type of clutter can be housing other pests (roaches, ants, rodents, and spiders) in addition to silverfish.
Clear this clutter from your home and stop feeding (or housing) silverfish and these other pests as well. If you want to hold onto some of these belongings, be sure to keep them in a plastic container that can be sealed tightly.
Seal Your Home
Silverfish enter your home from outside. To protect your home against pests you need to do a thorough check and seal up entry points where pests may be getting inside.
Foundation cracks or tiny gaps around your windows or doors can be an entrance for these pests. Seal these areas using caulk or silicone. Replace door and window seals to further seal these areas as well.
Do an inspection of your home each season to ensure your home is protected against pest infestations. Preventing infestations is easier than eliminating pests once they’ve infested your home.
Killing the Pests
Kill any silverfish you spot by smashing them with a paper towel (or a shoe). You probably aren’t going to spot the entire colony of silverfish, so you’ll have to get a little tricky. Try these tips on how to get rid of the silverfish infestation.
- Spray the perimeter. Using a pesticide in your home may not be something you want to do, but it is effective. Spray the inside perimeter and the dark, damp spaces of your home with a pesticide. You can also spray the exterior of your home with the pesticide.
- Sprinkle natural pesticides. A natural alternative to a commercial pesticide is to use diatomaceous earth around your home. It will get rid of silverfish and other insects as well.
- Set traps. Check your local hardware store for traps you can use to kill silverfish and set them wherever you’ve spotted them.
Silverfish are a lot like roaches, in that they do most of their work at night or in the dark. They scatter in the light, so it may be difficult to spot a large portion of these pests.
Silverfish Pest Control Help
If you think you have a silverfish infestation, or you have any type of pest problem, call
Jones Bros Pest Control, Inc. for help.
