The warning sign for all households of the appearance of silverfish: the step prior to all of this
Silverfish are nocturnal insects normally found outdoors but could equally cause havoc in your house. Here’s how to prevent that from happening.
Due to its tendency to live outdoors and appear during the night, there’s a reasonable chance you’ll never have seen a silverfish, a small, soft insect without wings that looks exactly like its name suggests. However, there’s also a possibility it could be causing havoc in your house.
Are silverfish dangerous?
Silverfish, which normally grow to between half an inch and an inch in length, have flat, scale-covered silver bodies and three long antennae. They might sound repulsive, especially if you’re squeamish around bugs, but there’s no need to fear for your own safety as they won’t do you any harm.
They could, however, damage items in your house, particularly those kept in damp, dark areas.
Where you’ll find silverfish
Silverfish live outdoors under rocks, bark and leaf mold, or in the nests of various animals and birds. But as they are attracted to moisture, it’s also common to see them indoors, most typically in sinks, bathtubs and washbasins.
Not only that, but their love for love starch and polysaccharides means they’ll feed on almost anything (even though they can go up to a year without food). That ranges from dried meats, flour, sugar and cereals, to non-food items including paper, glue, cotton, linen and leather.
So if you wake up with mysterious holes in your clothing, silverfish may well be the culprit.
How to get rid of silverfish
If you do have silverfish in your house, the bad news is that means other pests, such as mites, could also be lurking.
As ever, the way to get rid of them is through a combination of common sense and clever hacks.
- As mentioned, silverfish thrive in moist conditions, so keep your home dry and well-ventilated to limit humidity as much as possible
- Seal cracks and crevices to ensure there’s no way in through walls and floors
- Be especially strict about regularly cleaning areas where silverfish have been spotted, or where you think they might appear
- Similarly, keep such areas tidy by removing paper, cardboard and old clothes, all of which silverfish feast on
- Residual insecticides and moth crystals, which you can place in boxes, will also help keep silverfish away
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