Learning About Silverfish

Silverfish are nothing at all like their name suggest, because while they may be silver, they are definitely insects and not fish. They don’t even look like fish, they look more like a prehistoric monster that just crawled from the deep, on a smaller scale of course. Also known as carpet sharks, fishmoths and paramites, silverfish are destructive little devils. They love starches so carpets, draperies, hair, fabrics of all kind as well as paper, book bindings, toothpaste and so much more are just to their liking. They have quite diverse tastes and just a little cardboard here or dry pasta there will just make their day. Finding them anywhere in your home is definitely cause for concern as they are quite destructive. While they don’t bite or harm humans physically, the harm that will come to your mental state when you find your wedding photos chewed on or your grandma’s antique quilt filled with holes, is beyond devastating. You can’t risk it, you need professional pest control to protect your possessions.

General Information

Silverfish are small, silvery creatures with bristle covered bodies and tail-like appendages on the end of their bodies. They are flat and tear drop shaped and can run rather fast as well as scale walls and ceilings. Silverfish are expert jumpers and can jump 2 feet vertically in the air. The female lays up to 60 eggs at a time, depositing them in small crevices around your home. Their lifespan is anywhere from 2-8 years in length and before you think of somehow removing all their food sources to kill them, think again. They can live up to a year without food so killing them is incredibly difficult. Did we mention their speed? These insects are very fast! They really have no means to defend themselves so the biggest thing they have going for them is their speed. Catching them is incredibly difficult.

The Signs of an Infestation

The biggest sign of a silverfish infestation is seeing the silverfish themselves but sometimes the other subtle signs can give them away before you see the actual insect. Here are a few other things to watch for:

Droppings: Silverfish droppings look like little pepper specks. Finding these on your countertops, cupboards, drawers or anywhere is a big, red flag.
Damage: The worst part of a silverfish infestation is the damage. Holes in books, wallpaper, storage boxes, linens and upholstery is particularly upsetting but finding piles of silverfish swimming in your canister of oatmeal, bags of flour and boxes of pasta is just disgusting.
Yellow spotting: As silverfish move around, they leave little yellow spots on book pages, clothing and furniture from urination and defecation.
Shed skin: As silverfish mature and age, they shed their skin through their life cycles so finding the wispy remains of silverfish skin is a “dead” giveaway (pun intended!).

Treatment

DIY treatment for silverfish is often ineffective and just prolongs the problem. Getting rid of them requires specialized treatment designed to attack them at their weak spots. Modern silverfish pest control methods are created to infiltrate silverfish defenses but yet not harm your family. Spreading toxic chemicals all over your home is not a great substitution for lack silverfish. We want you to be safe so that is why hiring professional pest control from Pointe Pest Control is your best bet. Call us today to get rid of your silverfish nightmares for good.