What are silverfish?

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.