How to Get Rid of Silverfish

Silverfish are small, fish-like insects that aren’t harmful to humans, but can cause damage to items in your home. Homeowners often find these insects in warm areas of their home like the kitchen or laundry room. Silverfish are also commonly found in areas with lots of books or on bookshelves since they feed on the paste that is used for book binding. Silverfish are sometimes mistaken as bed bugs since they can also feed on fabrics. If you find silverfish in your home, pest control companies can get rid of them with insecticides and pesticides to keep them at bay. Classic Pest Control and Insulation can help with your silverfish problem.

You may see any of these bristletails:

Common Silverfish

The common silverfish is about 10mm long, and gray in color. Silverfish are common pests in homes because they eat paper, fabrics, and can get into your food (usually cereals). They can even chew through book bindings, and are commonly found hiding on bookshelves or near books. Common silverfish feed on the glue and paste in the bindings, and can cause damage to paper products in your home. They prefer temperatures just above room temperature (around 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). Nuisance ants get worse as the season goes on and the colonies continue to grow. They do not go away on their own. They have to be forced to leave.

Gray Silverfish

Gray silverfish are small, fast household pests that can be found in warm places like kitchens, laundry rooms, and near appliances like your laundry machines or oven. They have flat bodies that allow them to slip into small crevices and even fit under your baseboards. Their main food source is starch, and they are also commonly found in sacks of potatoes or flour stored in your cupboard.

Four-Lined Silverfish

Four-lined silverfish are another type of silverfish that can be found in your home. These types of silverfish have light and dark scales along their body. Like other silverfish, they also have antennae and 6 appendages along the side of their body. Four-lined silverfish feed on items high in cellulose like cardboard boxes and wood. They also commonly feed on books, and the droppings from their feces can often be found on items they have chewed through.

Firebrats

Firebrats are a type of silverfish with two long antennae and three hair-like structures that extend from the back part of their body. They are grayish-brown in color and have dark spots on the back of their exoskeleton. They feed on starchy foods and carbohydrates. They prefer a higher temperature than other types of silverfish and may be found in your basement, bathtubs, or other hiding places like moist areas in the kitchen.

Pest Control Services

Pest Control

Classic Insulation and Pest Control will remove any bothersome or dangerous pests from your home or yard and take steps to prevent re-entry.

Dead Animal Removal

Sometimes pests, mostly rodents, will enter your home and die there, causing a strong smell. We will safely remove any dead animal from your home using our protective gear.

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Insulation Removal and Installation

When pests get into your attic or crawlspace they can cause damage to your insulation, making your heating bills rise drastically. We will remove any damaged insulation and replace it with new insulation.

Pest Re-Entry

Getting the pests out of your home doesn’t help very much if they can just get back in. We will find the point of entry that the pest entered your home, and seal it to prevent them from reentering.

Pest Control Services

Pest Control

Classic Pest Control and Insulation will remove any bothersome or dangerous pests from your home or yard and take steps to prevent re-entry.

Insulation Removal and Installation

Dead Animal Removal

Sometimes pests, mostly rodents, will enter your home and die there, causing a strong smell. We will safely remove any dead animal from your home using our protective gear.

Pest Re-Entry

Getting the pests out of your home doesn’t help very much if they can just get back in. We will find the point of entry that the pest entered your home, and seal it to prevent them from reentering.

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Tips to Get Silverfish Out of Your Home

Clean Up

Since silverfish are attracted to food, clean up your kitchen. Don’t leave food out anywhere in the house, including crumbs. If there isn’t any food for the silverfish to find, they won’t come back to your house. Also make sure to put your pet food away when your pets aren’t eating it.

Seal Up Your Food

Yes, airtight containers, like glass jars, can be pricey but they are worth it. Silverfish can’t get into airtight containers so they can’t get into your food and ruin it.

Dry Off Counters and Keep Your Home Dry

The reason why you find silverfish in your bathroom is usually because of water. Wipe off counters to eliminate water and make sure you seal your toothpaste tube. You can also use dehumidifiers to keep your space dry and bug-free.

Seal Off Entry Points

Use caulk to seal off obvious entry points in windows, doors, in your closets, and near your baseboards. Once it dries, you can sand it down and repaint if needed.

Use Silverfish Traps

If you already have a silverfish problem, then silverfish traps work great. You can make your own, or buy some from a hardware store. Silverfish traps are usually sticky traps that attract the silverfish to the trap and then use an adhesive to trap them there.

Use a Natural Insect Killer

Natural insect killers like boric acid and diatomaceous earth work great as home remedies for silverfish infestations. These kinds of insect killers aren’t harmful for humans or pets and can help with other types of infestations like roaches. Some essential oils like cedar oil, and plants like bay leaves, will also keep silverfish away.

Call in the Professionals

Professional pest control companies have the remedies you need for pest management. They’ll seal off re-entry places and help with silverfish control.

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Mount Vernon, WA

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