If you’ve ever seen a shiny, scaly insect with what looks like antennae on both ends scuttling across the ground, you might have encountered a silverfish. This insect pest has a startling alien-like appearance, and a silverfish infestation is a cause for concern. Learn how to get rid of silverfish in the garden to prevent them from becoming a nuisance.
Silverfish insects (Lepisma saccharina) do not harm humans, pets, or house plants. The moisture and protection of garden plants attract silverfish, and they scavenge anything that offers them proteins and carbohydrates. Silverfish love everything from vegetable matter and dried meat to wallpaper and glue.
Though silverfish mean no harm, it doesn’t mean you want them taking over your vegetable garden, especially if you’re squeamish. Since a female silverfish lays clusters of up to 20 eggs daily, it’s a good idea to take pest control steps to stop an infestation.
Simple Ways to Get Rid of Silverfish in the Garden
Silverfish bugs are a common garden pest that quickly gets out of control if left unchecked. Luckily, there are several simple ways to get rid of silverfish using traps and other natural home remedies.
How to Get Rid of Silverfish Outside With Traps
If you’re unsure how many live silverfish you’re dealing with, silverfish traps are a great way to determine whether you have an infestation. Discover how to get rid of silverfish outside by setting up sticky traps.
To make a homemade sticky trap, place a long strip of duct tape on a piece of cardboard, with the sticky side facing up, and set the board in the garden. The insects walk across the tape and get stuck for easy disposal.
There are also various silverfish traps at your local hardware store if you prefer to use a store-bought trap. They are usually small traps that contain boric acid; you can use them outside and in the house.
Using Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Silverfish Outside
The best way to kill silverfish outside is with diatomaceous earth. This naturally occurring powder causes abrasions on the insect’s exoskeleton, eventually leading to death.
To kill silverfish, put on garden gloves and spread a layer of diatomaceous earth over the soil around the base of your plants. Avoid spreading the powder on a windy day or when you expect rain, and remove the dead insects as you find them. DE will also kill other bugs, like mites, pill bugs, and springtails.
How to Get Rid of Silverfish in the Garden
Baking soda is excellent for getting rid of silverfish outdoors if you prefer an organic pest control method. Using baking soda to kill silverfish naturally is an easy and effective home remedy.
Pour a cup of water into a bowl and add a tablespoon of honey. Add enough baking soda into the liquid to form a paste. Set the bowl in the garden or spread the paste strategically, like in a crevice or on a rock. The insect pest consumes the sweet paste and eventually dies.
Ways to Prevent Silverfish in the Yard
No one wants to run around killing bugs all day, whether a bed bug, carpet beetle, pincher bug, or silver fish. Explore tips to keep these pests out of the yard.
To kill silverfish outside, consider introducing moles and other natural predators or beneficial insects that prey on silverfish, such as the earwig, centipede, and spider.
If you’d rather repel the bugs, find plants to keep silverfish away from your garden, like sage or rosemary. You can also use their essential oil to make a bug spray. Remove damp plant debris, puddles, and other sources that create a moist environment.
Ceder is another scent that silverfish simply detest. Create a homemade silverfish spray with ceder oil to keep these bugs out of all dark corners of your home.
The silverfish is a household pest that gets into pet food if you don’t store it in airtight containers. It infests gardens, feasting on vegetable matter. Removing its food source and taking silverfish control steps are vital to keeping these insects in check.
We hope that learning how to get rid of silverfish in the garden keeps your outdoor plants pest-free, and we’d love it if you’d share our tips for keeping silverfish out of gardens with your family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook.