Is It Dangerous To Have Silverfish In Your Springfield Home?

June 24, 2020

In: Residential Pest Control

When people receive pest control services, it’s usually to address the presence of critters like rodents, roaches, spiders, termites, and ants. Springfield home and business owners often forget about silverfish. It’s probably because these insects are considered to be harmless, but this is only partially true. They don’t bite or sting or spread diseases. But they can damage personal belongings.

You might not know much about silverfish, but that needs to change if you want to keep your beloved items safe. By reading about these bugs, you can learn how to stop an infestation with help from American Pest Solutions.

What Do Silverfish Look Like? How Do They Behave?

Despite their name, silverfish don’t resemble fish. They’re small and their bodies are shaped like a carrot. They range in size from 15/32 to ¾ of an inch in length. They have two to four antennas, around six legs, and three “tails” at the bottom. They can be brownish-gray, white, or blue-silver. Their skin has a metallic appearance.

Silverfish commonly make their way inside through cracks in foundations, tattered window screens, and door gaps. They prefer moist, humid, and dark areas. Therefore, you’re liable to find them in:

• Storage containers

• Cardboard boxes

• Attics

• Basements

• Garages

• Sheds

• Bathrooms

• Kitchens

For food, they favor carbohydrates, fabrics, and paper-based materials. This is how they create trouble for humans. Your pantry can get invaded, particularly if there are grains, sugars, or starches in there. Silks, linens, upholstery, and clothes could all be found chewed up, especially damp laundry. Your important documents and favorite books could be ruined. In addition to this array of items, silverfish feed on book glue, cellulose, shampoo, and wallpaper.

Coming across their wreckage is typically the only sign of infestation, besides spotting their feces. Their droppings are pepper-like. These insects are primarily active at night, and they run very fast. They tend to stay out of view. While silverfish won’t bite or sting you, being in contact with them can sometimes trigger an allergic reaction. They also have the ability to draw in other bugs such as carpet beetles.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Silverfish?

Making your property less attractive to silverfish will involve basic cleaning and reducing humidity and moisture:

• Inspect packages, boxes, containers, and other stored items before bringing them indoors.

• Regularly wash your dishes and take out the trash.

• Put food in secure canisters and plastic-ware.

• To control warmth, use a dehumidifier and open crawlspace vents. Humidity is ideal for silverfish reproduction, and they multiply quickly.

• Repair any moisture issues, such as plumbing leaks. 

• Dry wet clothes as soon as possible.

• Seal openings around walls, windows, fixtures, doors, and baseboards. You can try using caulk. 

• Call American Pest Solutions if you have other critters that silverfish could eat; silverfish consume dead insects.

What Can American Pest Solutions Do About Silverfish?

Once a silverfish infestation is underway, contact the professionals. Retail insecticides and traps will only eliminate individual bugs. Natural remedies suggested online may repel these destructive critters, but won’t end a takeover. Other methods will just provide temporary relief.

At American Pest Solutions, we use high-quality products and devices. Our specially-trained technicians will find where the silverfish are coming in and locate where they’re living, then make sure all silverfish are eliminated.

We’ve been in business for over 100 years. We’ve protected generations of families from pests, and we look forward to serving you next. Call now for a free evaluation!