Silverfish are one of the oldest species of insects found in the world! They are creepy, silver bugs that you have probably seen crawling around your home. Luckily, they are more of an annoyance than a danger. Here is a bit more information about silverfish and some simple tips you can follow to help reduce infestations in or around your home.
What Are Silverfish?
Interestingly, silverfish are considered an ancient pest. Some entomologists claim that these bugs predate dinosaurs by over 100 million years! For homeowners, that means they are probably not going to go away anytime soon. These insects are grey, wingless insects that live throughout the United States. They have long, slender bodies that are notably wider at the head, and are covered in tiny scales. Silverfish get their name because they look and move like fish – although they are not aquatic pests.
What Attracts Silverfish to Your Home?
Silverfish are nocturnal pests that prefer very humid spaces. You will often find them in attics, basements, crawl spaces, and under the counter in the kitchen or bathroom. These bugs like to eat just about anything. Silverfish will munch on anything, from books to grains and fabrics. Their diet makes them incredibly versatile and happy to make their home anywhere that is dark, moist, and full of food. Silverfish are also known to be sturdy travels. This means they may make their way into your home from a cardboard box full of recent online purchases to old magazines you picked up to create a children’s project. Another tidbit of information is that these insects can live up to a year without food. This means you might have a pest problem without knowing it because the bugs are happily stored away in a moist space, only coming out at night.
How Do You Get Rid of Silverfish?
One of the most straightforward steps you can take to reduce the infestation of silverfish is by making your home unwelcoming. Keep clutter at bay. Be mindful of extremely humid spaces. Keep food sources stored well. Essential home maintenance, such as taking the garbage out, cleaning out areas under sinks, sweeping, vacuuming, and throwing out old piles of paper, will make silverfish look elsewhere to build a home. Other necessary steps are storing necessary paperwork in plastic containers, not cardboard, and throwing away piled up magazines and newspapers beyond their reading date. Also, take the time to repair broken pipes, ventilate spaces that hold moisture and create humidity annually. Once you get silverfish, it is quite challenging to get rid of them.
Work with A Professional Pest Management Team
If you have seen something scurrying in the night across your floor, it might be time to have a professional pest management company assess your home for pest and rodent problems. A local pest management team will understand your needs while also checking for common pests in the area. They will then work with you to create a comprehensive pest management plan to keep your home clean and safe. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with Aanext online, or by calling 925-240-5100.
