Silverfish Detection And Prevention

Silverfish can become quite a nuisance in your home due to their quick reproduction rates and their munching habits

. In their quest for food, they may destroy books and clothing, as well as infesting your pantry. They will munch through paper like a caterpillar on your tomato plant, so in this article we will discuss ways to make your home less inviting and hospitable to silverfish. First, we need to know a little about what makes them tick.

Silverfish, as you may know, are not fish at all. Silverfish are wingless insects named Lepisma saccharina. They are often a silver grey color and have antenna that they move around in a fish like swimming motion, accounting for their name. Silverfish need carbohydrates to survive and like dark and moist places to reside. The majority of their activity is nocturnal. They can reproduce quickly and one silverfish can produce 66 offspring during their life cycle.

Silverfish love dimly lit places with lots of moisture, which means they may move into your basement, and spread to other areas in your home.

Minimize all excess moisture in your home by checking around pipes, under sinks, and toilet seals. Make sure that all of those areas are dry as a bone, and seal/repair any leaks or drips. Use moisture absorbing crystals for small areas that seem to be holding moisture. Consider dehumidifiers for larger areas like your basement. Minimizing moisture will help reduce loads of other insect populations and do your own pest control.

Store flour, sugar, etc. in sealable containers to reduce silverfish access to food sources. Even unopened flour bags can be breached by silverfish. Its a good idea to have air tight containers dedicated for those staples. Store any extra packages in your freezer until you are ready to use them.

Vacuum corners and crevices regularly to help not only for silverfish elimination, but get rid of fleas as well.

Chemical controls for silver fish include baiting stations, spray insecticides and dusting formulas. With baiting stations, its good to know that silverfish will not travel long distances for their food sources, so place baits in the dark moist areas, near food sources or areas of damage. Since they are most likely to gather, that will deliver the most bang for your buck with baits. You may consider using dusting formulas in cracks and corners of those same areas.

Spray the perimeter of your home to stop more silverfish from coming into your home. Focusing on cracks or crevices that are near moisture, or on the shadier side of your home.

Hopefully, after employing all of the above techniques, youll have them packing their bags in no time!

by: Genny Brown

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