Silverfish are tiny and wingless insects found across the globe. Scientists claim that these bugs are nearly four hundred million tears old. If this is true, they are one of the oldest insects in the world.
Silverfish are harmless to humans. They can cause damage to your belongings in the house. As silverfish reproduces quickly, homeowners need to know the preventive measures before the infestation goes unnoticed.
These bugs are nocturnal. We can spot them during the nighttime when they come out to feed. They usually like carbohydrates and starch-rich food materials such as old books and old sweaters.
It is extremely tough to know whether the home remedies are working or not.
Nevertheless, prevention is better than cure. Simple lifestyle changes and the elimination of silverfish food sources will prevent silverfish infestation.
Silverfish identification:
As the name suggests, silverfish have a grey and shiny color. Sometimes, they have shiny a bluish appearance. These bugs can grow somewhere around one to one-half inches long. They have a flattened body with a teardrop shape having three long bristles at the rear end.
Habitat:
Notably elusive, these bugs are nocturnal creatures. They swiftly move when disturbed to escape detection. Silverfish survives in any climatic condition. However, they love to stay and hide in damp, dark, and humid places with good moisture content.
These bugs primarily live under rocks, leaf mold, and tree bark when outdoors.
When indoors, we can spot these bugs near the basements, holes, crevices, kitchen sink, and bathroom areas. They can move at rapid speeds. However, they are unable to climb smooth surfaces.
Diet:
Silverfish are virtually scavenger feeders. They can have almost anything available for them to eat. Generally, they feed on carbohydrates and starchy materials. Within the natural habitat outdoors, they feed upon the vegetable matter. When they dwell at the human residencies, they feed upon cereals and other food materials rich in carbohydrates.
These bugs can survive without food for up to one year.
Problems:
Silverfish do not harm humans. However, some humans have allergic reactions to the molten skin of the silverfish.
They contaminate food materials, chew clothes, stain clothes, destroy books and newspapers, damage the insulations and wallpapers. Above all, these bugs cause a maddening presence inside the house.
Prevention and removal of silverfish:
If you don’t like to stay with an unwelcome silverfish crawling around your house and want to do something about it, try out the different methods for their removal:
- As we now know that silverfish live in humid and moist areas. Therefore, ensure to keep low humidity levels. Make sure to keep your house dry and clean.
- Keep food and other starchy materials in sealed packages.
- If you feel that these bugs will attack your bookcase, apply diatomaceous earth in small amounts, which will bring down the moisture level.
- Use roach traps to eliminate silverfish.
- Use Naphthalene balls to keep them in your wardrobe to prevent these bugs from entering your premises.
- Make sure to seal and repair the cracks, holes, and crevices inside or outside the house.
Wrapping up:
If you know to identify the silverfish, you may apply simple DIY techniques for their removal. Call pest control experts if the infestation increases.