If you have never had the luck of finding one of these insects within your home you have avoided quite the scare. Silverfish are pests that can move pretty quickly, and they can grow to an inch in size. These pests are not fun to have around by any means, but thankfully they do not spread any deadly diseases. So, how does one identify a silverfish?
How To Identify A Silverfish?
Silverfish are small, wingless insects with a silvery, light grey, and fish-like movements. They are nocturnal insects, tend to avoid light, and enjoy areas of humidity between 75 percent and 95 percent. They can lay up to 60 eggs at once; each egg can take between two weeks and two months to hatch.
Where Can Silverfish Be Found Within The Home?
Typically, they will sneak into the home because of increased moisture in the air. If your home has moist areas this is a perfect spot to attract silverfish. They are most commonly found in areas such as the crawlspace or the attic because it provides them safe, dark, moist areas to call home. Unfortunately, those are not the only areas they can be found in the home. Silverfish can also be discovered in the bathtub, sinks, kitchens, and even old books. So, what exactly do these pests like to eat?
What Do They Eat?
Surprisingly, they have quite the diet. These pests can eat a variety of food sources which makes it hard to deter them from getting into your home. For example, silverfish will eat wallpaper paste, tapestries, cotton, linen, silk, and leftover crumbs. Many antique book collectors fear them because these pests will eat right through their books. Besides books, silverfish have also been known to sneak into a kitchen pantry and cause quite the destruction. These pests can contaminate food and will snack on anything rich in starch.
Prevent and Treat for Silverfish with U.S. Pest
To keep your Tennessee home from being overrun with silverfish, seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home. The south and west walls are where the sun heats the home and can be a target for moisture where silverfish may lurk and start breeding. It is also good to put tight-fitting screens on all foundation and attic vents.
If your preventative measures aren’t enough to keep silverfish out, it’s time to call U.S. Pest. When you schedule your free consultation with us, a knowledgeable pest technician will do a thorough inspection of the home and the surrounding outdoor environment. We will even place monitoring boards around the home to monitor activity. Schedule your free inspection with U.S. Pest today!
To learn more on how to protect your home from pests visit uspest.com!
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook @uspest.