Silverfish Infestation

We’re all used to seeing the occasional spider or housefly from time to time. However, if you notice small, alien-looking insects that wiggle as they scatter to find hiding places, you probably have a silverfish problem. Since these pests are notorious for destroying paper, books, wallpaper, clothes, carpets, and dry goods, it’s essential to take pest control steps to stop a silverfish infestation.

Silverfish sounds like a cute name for silver-colored fish, but they are far from it. Instead, it is a wingless insect that gets its name from its color and how it moves its body back and forth.

Unlike poisonous snakes, stinging bees, and other critters in the natural world, the silverfish bug is harmless to humans. It’s still a nuisance pest, though, especially if you have an allergic reaction. Learn how to identify silverfish and understand what attracts silverfish to keep these pests in check.

Ways to Prevent Silverfish Infestations

One or two adult silverfish pests are not a big deal, but a congregation of these insects causes problems. Ee put together several silverfish control tips to stop silverfish from infesting your yard and home.

What Are Silverfish?

You may be confused about what exactly a silverfish is since the name is misleading. Discover what these insects are, their life cycle, and their habits, to help you better understand them.

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are silvery light gray with fish-like appearance and movements. They are nocturnal insects, measuring only about a half-inch long, and live two to eight years.

They have two antennae and three tail-like appendages almost as long as their body. A silverfish’s diet mainly consists of carbohydrates like starches and sugars. However, it also eats proteins and items such as glue and wallpaper.

What Causes a Silverfish Infestation?

An overpopulation of silverfish leads to a problem in the home or yard. What causes these insects to become an infestation? Learn how a few silverfish turn into many and why they infest your living space.

A female silverfish can lay 60 eggs at once that take two weeks to two months to hatch. They deposit their eggs in small crevices, like a crack in the wall of damp basements or attics, and go undetected until the nymphs hatch and young silverfish develop.

Silverfish love damp areas and prefer high humidity of 75 to 95%. It’s even better when there’s mold growth or another source of food nearby.

How to Tell if You Have a Silverfish Problem

Silverfish are sneaky and often hide in cracks and other hard-to-find areas. You may not know you have an insect issue until it’s too late. Explore common signs of silverfish infestation to help you determine if you need to take pest control measures.

Seeing live silverfish is the first sign of an infestation. However, other indications of a silverfish problem are droppings, skin molts, yellow stains, and damage to belongings.

Silverfish droppings look like small peppercorns and skin molts are delicate and transparent, sometimes leaving a yellow stain. You may spot them behind furniture or beneath cupboards.

Stop Silverfish From Getting in the House

Unfortunately, many insects, including silverfish, find your house an attractive place to live and breed. Luckily, there are ways to stop silverfish from entering your home and causing an infestation. Find out how to keep this pest from having easy access to your living space and keep it bug-free.

To ensure that silverfish do not have entryways into your property, walk around the perimeter and seal all cracks and crevices with caulk. Inspect the windows and screens, replace them if necessary, and apply weatherstripping in doorways.

As a secondary precaution, sprinkle boric acid or Borax on a paper plate with breadcrumbs and set it in the area where you suspect silverfish. The insects eat the tainted bread and die from the poison. All you have to do is discard the dead insects as you find them.

How to Keep Silverfish Out of the Yard

While outdoor silverfish are not generally something to be concerned about, an infestation means there’s a greater chance of them heading indoors. Follow several silverfish control tips to ensure these insects don’t invade your lawn and garden.

Rake up leaves and yard debris and dispose of them properly. Remove wood piles, rocks, and other items away from the house, garage, shed, or other structures to keep silverfish from having places to hide.

Fix outside leaks and clean the gutter to prevent moisture build-up. Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) over lawn or garden areas where you see silverfish. The insects walk across the powder, which damages their exoskeleton, leading to death. DE is also excellent for cockroach control.

Eliminating Silverfish With Sticky Traps

One of the best ways to stop silverfish without chemicals is to use sticky traps. Discover how to use a commercial or DIY silverfish trap to capture these pests. Purchase these traps at your local hardware store or make one of your own.

To make a silverfish sticky trap, cut a piece of cardboard to four by six inches and wrap duct tape around the board with the sticky side facing up. Stick the trap to the floor where you’ve seen silverfish and set a piece of bread on top. Or, follow the instructions for your store-bought trap and place it in the infested area.

Using Newspaper to Get Rid of Silverfish

Believe it or not, a rolled-up newspaper is excellent for silverfish prevention. It’s the easiest way to capture silverfish and remove them from the area without chemical treatment, making it ideal if you have children and pets.

Roll a newspaper and place rubber bands on the ends to secure it. Spray the paper lightly with water to dampen it and set it in the area where you notice silverfish. In the morning, dispose of the paper trap in the outside trash can without opening it.

How to Make a Silverfish Trap

A glass container is excellent for trapping the silverfish pest; you only need some tape and bait. Make a silverfish trap and keep your living space insect-free in a few simple steps.

Start by wrapping the outside of the glass container with tape from bottom to top. The tape gives the silverfish something to climb up. Place a piece of bread or another starchy food inside the jar and set it in the suspicious area. The insect crawls up the container, falls inside, and cannot climb back out.

Ways to Repel Silverfish Naturally

Setting up traps and other pest control methods takes time; making the area a place they avoid makes more sense. Follow these ways to repel silverfish naturally without all the fuss.

To make a silverfish repellent spray, fill a bottle with water, add several drops of cedar oil, and shake the container well to mix. Spray the solution along windowsills and doorways, beneath sinks, in the basement, and other damp areas.

Dried bay leaves are also helpful for keeping silverfish away. Consider placing the leaves in your pantry to keep the insects out of dry goods. Silverfish hate the smell of sage, basil, rosemary, and lemongrass; planting them in your yard keeps the pests at bay.

Silverfish Control Tips

Like bed bugs and other household pests, silverfish get out of control quickly if left unchecked. Find a range of silverfish control tips to ensure your living space stays safe from a silverfish invasion.

Since silverfish thrive in moisture, try to lower the indoor humidity by installing a dehumidifier. Likewise, ventilate rooms that get moist, check all the plumbing around the house, and fix leaks as soon as you discover them.

Maintain your living space by dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming often. Remove unnecessary clutter, like adhesives, cardboard boxes, newspaper, and other items that attract silverfish. Keep your clothes in plastic storage bins or another dry environment. Store pet food and dry food in an airtight container.

Silverfish are creepy-looking, and dealing with an infestation is something best avoided. Luckily, silverfish traps are ideal when unsure where they’re hiding, and boric acid eliminates them. In addition, getting rid of their food source and using insect-repelling methods sends silverfish searching for better places to live.

Now that you’ve learned how to stop a silverfish infestation indoors and outside, why not share our silverfish prevention tips with your family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook?