How To Get Rid of Silverfish

The Silverfish (Lepisma Saccharunum) has been around for a long time, in fact, these insects have been with us for over 400 million years. They are also known as “bristletails” and have been traced back as far as the Paleozoic Era. They are believed to be the oldest and most primitive insect alive on planet earth. The common name seems to refer to its silvery appearance and its fish-like wiggling walk, or run, because they are extremely fast. They are known to outrun spiders and centipedes! Silverfish do not have appendages that help them go vertically very fast at all like wings. Since they don’t have any fangs and do not carry any venom, speed is their only defense. They have six legs and are about ¾ inches long with long antennae.

Silverfish are nocturnal and prefer to hide in cracks during the day. They can be found in any room of the house and are known to infest commercial structures like offices or stores as well. Silverfish can even hitch a ride in cardboard boxes or with paper from an infested location. They can travel long distances in search of food and can breed in a variety of areas. They are tough insects and can survive for many weeks without any food or water, they only require the humidity in the space to be high, around 70-90%. Silverfish can reproduce rapidly, as many as one to three eggs per day. If silverfish are left to their own devices, the problem can get out of control quite quickly. Silverfish also have a relatively long life, living up to three years.

Silverfish are considered a household pest. Although they do not transmit any diseases or bite, they can cause harm and contamination of personal belongings especially ones made of paper. They can feed on glues, clothing, pantry items like oats and flour, and even on the dead or injured of their kind. They often are found in commercial settings in Alberta and it’s less common to find them in residential homes. Our company will often be called to commercial boiler rooms where it is always hot and humid, the perfect environment for the silverfish. Signs of silverfish besides seeing them directly, you may also find yellow stains, scales, or feces on infested materials.

How To Get Rid of Silverfish? To prevent silverfish, you can inspect items that you are bringing into your home to ensure they weren’t carried over from an infested location. They do not survive in Alberta outside, so they will not come from the exterior of your property. Controlling the humidity in your home is also important, purchase a dehumidifier if humidity is a problem in areas such as the basement, repair leaky pipes and drains, and eliminate and repair moldy or wet wood. Keep books and other paper materials in airtight containers, as well as with stored pantry goods. Since they are a hearty pest that can live without food or water, it’s best to call a pest control company to help deal with a suspected or found infestation. Absolute Pest Control can provide free no-obligation quotes and can perform effective treatments to deal with the issue efficiently. Call 403-238-7400 to learn more!