Overview:
Also known as urban silverfish, fishmoth,
silverfish are a common household pest found
throughout the world.
Silverfish are nocturnal & favour a dark,
environment. They are especially prevalent in
kitchen and bathrooms due to their high
moisture/humid environments. Other places they
inhabit roofing, wall cavities, basements,
wardrobes & book shelves. They will dine on our
food if the opportunity arises but typically
feed on foods high in starches, sugars & protein
such as paper, glue, wallpaper, book binding,
cereals, fabric, photographs & dead insects
(including silverfish).
What
do silverfish look like?
Silverfish are small, fast moving, flat bodied,
wingless, insects with silvery scales, antennae
& three long tail projections and are between 10
& 15mm long.
Signs of silverfish:
Signs you have silverfish in your home include;
-
Visual sighting of them. They are active at
night. You may find them in sinks or
bathtubs where they have been attracted by
the moisture & are unable to climb out.
-
Silverfish moult several times during their
life cycle, and you may come across their
discarded cast skins.
-
You may discover damage to books, wallpaper
etc.
How to get rid of silverfish:
Changing the environment:
Creating a hostile environment for silverfish is
important. Some methods include;
-
Eliminate sources of moisture such as drying
out bath tubs & sinks, using a dehumidifier.
Fix any leaks.
-
Regularly vacuum cracks, crevices, book
shelves etc.
-
Don’t leave food standing around. Store it
in the refrigerator or an air tight
container.
-
Lay down roach traps in infested areas.
-
Where possible, remove boxes, paper,
magazines etc.
Silverfish insecticides & traps:
If changing the environment doesn’t help, or if
you have a heavy infestation then you may need
to use an insecticide. You will need to locate
the source(s) of infestation in order to
eradicate silverfish.
Insecticides come in various forms such as
powders, baits, foggers & sprays. Insecticides
will need to be used in all areas silverfish
inhabit such as wall cracks, crevices, attics,
cupboards.
You may wish to tackle this yourself or call in
a professional pest controller.
