Silverfish

What do silverfish look like? 

If you find a silverfish in your house and have never seen one before, their appearance may startle you. These silvery-colored pests almost look like they’re wearing armor. They have long, carrot-shaped bodies and six legs. However, they also have a pair of long antennae and three bristle-like appendages on their back end that almost give the appearance of more legs.

Silverfish get their name from their coloring and the fish-like way they move. They are very fast runners.

Are silverfish harmful? 

Silverfish are considered more of a nuisance pest than a serious threat to humans. They don’t bite and are not known to spread any diseases.

If they get into your house, silverfish won’t cause significant damage to the structure, but they can cause minor property damage, especially to items made out of paper. They often damage wallpaper, books, envelopes, and other paper items. 

What do silverfish eat? 

Silverfish eat a variety of food and non-food items. These items include flour, rolled oats, clothing, and glue. If they enter your house, silverfish may damage non-food items that they eat and contaminate the food items they feed on.

Why do I have silverfish in my home? 

Silverfish could be inside your house for a number of reasons. Like all pests, they have certain things they need to survive. If they can’t find those things outside, they’ll often go indoors searching for them. Food, water, and shelter are all things that silverfish need to survive.

If your house is warm and has areas with high humidity, silverfish can survive quite easily inside. You will likely find silverfish in bathrooms, basements or crawl spaces, attics, and shake roofs.

How do silverfish enter homes? 

Silverfish enter houses either by themselves or by being brought inside. If they are brought inside, they are usually in a cardboard box of infested materials, such as books or magazines. 

If silverfish get inside on their own, it’s usually as they are searching for adequate food or shelter. They can access the interior of your house by using cracks in your foundation, gaps along your roof and around utility entry points, or other openings.

Can I get rid of silverfish myself? 

Getting rid of silverfish isn’t easy because these pests often hide in hard-to-reach areas of houses. They are nocturnal, so you’re unlikely to see them during the day when treating them is easiest. Plus, they can survive for several weeks without food or water, which means they might disappear for a while, making you think you got rid of them, only to return a few weeks later. Attempting DIY silverfish control is not recommended because of how rarely it works.

What's the best way to eliminate silverfish? 

The best way to eliminate silverfish is to partner with a professional pest control company like Anti-Pesto. We have experience inspecting homes for all types of pests, so we know where to look for a silverfish infestation and how to determine how widespread the infestation has become.

Our home pest control will thoroughly remove your silverfish problem and keep it from returning. We offer a few residential plans, all of which include silverfish control. Our services also come with a re-treatment guarantee. If pests return to your home between scheduled treatments, contact us. We’ll return to take care of the issue at no cost.

How can I prevent silverfish?

Preventing a silverfish problem is possible if you are proactive. Implementing some basic silverfish prevention strategies can make it harder for these pests to infest. Check out the following prevention tips:

• Reduce humidity in your house with dehumidifiers, fans, and cross-ventilation.
• Address other moisture issues both inside and outside your house.
• Replace wood that has become water-damaged.
• Throw away water-damaged paper products.
• Store pantry foods in airtight containers.
• Do not store paper products, like books or magazines, in rooms with a lot of humidity.
• Seal entry points into your house.
• Remove lawn debris, like leaf litter, where silverfish might spend time outdoors.