Just how do you actually feel about Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Silverfish & Prevention Tips?
You don’t want any pests to linger in your home, especially silverfish. They are disgusting creatures that have an 8-year lifespan. Unfortunately, they also reproduce rapidly, so you could be dealing with a full-blown infestation in no time.
Silverfish was named this way because of their fish-like shape, scaly exterior, and gliding movements. Although they don’t bite and carry pathogens, they can destroy your property like books, furniture, wallpaper, and fabric, especially if you have crumbs or traces of food in them. You will know you’ve got a problem if you see the bugs or if you spot holes, yellow stains, and scales. Fortunately, you can try to exterminate them by:
Working to Dehumidify the Area
Silverfish lives up to their name because they thrive in a moist and warm environment. If you want to get them out, purchase a dehumidifier. It would help if you also did the following:
Sealing all the Food
Don’t offer temptation to silverfish! Instead, seal up all your food like flour and cereal. Include your pet kibble as well, and keep the pet food bowl clean. If there’s no food source, there’s no reason for them to hang out. Vacuum crevices where these crumbs may have fallen.
Organizing and Removing Clutter
Silverfish also love to eat magazines, old envelopes, books, etc. Hence, you must organize your home and remove the clutter. Donate and recycle what you do not need. Sentimental items can be kept in airtight containers. Don’t give them something to chew on, and they will leave your premises.
Dispensing Natural Repellents
Fortunately, there are several natural methods to eradicate silverfish. Some may already be in your kitchen. For starters, silverfish hate cedar oil and shavings, so sprinkle them generously. Other repellants are:
Setting Up Traps
If you are serious about catching them, you can make a DIY trap with rolled up wet paper to attract them. Then toss them out when you’ve caught a bunch. Alternatively, you can buy traps in stores that are specifically designed to attract and poison silverfish. Place these traps in your closet, shelves, and drawers. Once they eat through the pack and consume the poison, these annoying pests will disappear once and for all.
Clearing Out Your Outdoor Areas
Should you be dealing with a widespread silverfish problem, you must also assess your outdoor areas. You could have something stored near your home that silverfish gravitate to. On This Resource top of that, they could be using these things to enter your property, like rotting exterior wood. Other items to watch out for are:
And, of course, if all your DIY attempts fail, the only solution is to call a pest control professional. They are the only people qualified to administer insecticides that can completely eradicate silverfish and ensure they do not come back to your home.
How to Get Rid of Silverfish
Half-eaten pages in your books? Chewed-through boxes in your pantry? These are signs of a silverfish infestation. Here’s how to identify, get rid of, and prevent silverfish infestations in the home.
How to Identify a Silverfish
Silverfish are slender, softbodies, wingless insects with long carrot-shaped bodies approximately 1/2-inch in length.
They resemble a fish due to their shiny silver, scaly bodies that taper gradually to the rear. Their bodies have no obvious segmentation, and are easily identified by the two slender antennae stemming from their heads and the three tail-like appendages on their back-ends. They are smaller and thinner than cockroaches, and a different color than the similarly-sized earwig.
Silverfish have rather stubby legs, but don’t let that fool you. They are capable of moving very, very quickly, especially when startled. This is when most people see silverfish: when the pests’ late-night feasting is interrupted and they scurry back to the dark corners of your home. Their rapid side-to-side movement resembles a swimming fish, which is said to be the source of their name.
Silverfish Damage
Normally, silverfish live outdoors under rocks, bark, and leaf mold; they’ll also live in the nests of birds and ants.
In the home, silverfish are often found in bathtubs, sinks, or washbasins. Though silverfish usually stick to more humid places, they may also invade the kitchen pantry and target flour, cereals, and other grains.
Practically any material containing carbohydrates or proteins is susceptible to silverfish damage.
Bookbinding glue and wallpaper paste are common targets. Often, silverfish won’t eat all the way through a material, in which case it will look like just a thin layer has been scraped off (see photo, below). Silverfish also feed on non-synthetic cloths, such as cotton or linen, evidenced by tiny, unconnected holes in the fabric. How to Get Rid of Silverfish
Sticky traps, which consist of a cardboard base and a thin layer of sticky glue, can be effective at controlling small populations. Place traps in areas where silverfish activity is high. The insects will get stuck to the glue as they attempt to move across the trap. We recommend only using sticky traps that contain a pesticide in the glue, as this will prevent a trapped insect from suffering for too long needlessly. Use dehumidifiers to dry the air in rooms where silverfish are seen, especially in the bathroom. Also ensure that under-sink areas in the kitchen and bathroom, as well as closets and cellars, are well ventilated. Diatomaceous earth (DE)—a powder made up of tiny silica particles—can be effective. The particles act as an irritant and dehydrate insect pests as they come in contact with the powder. Spread DE around areas where silverfish have been seen, and around potential pest entry points, like cracks in the wall or furnishings. Pyrethrin, a natural insecticide, is derived from chrysanthemum flowers and can be used to control silverfish. Its synthetic equivalent, permethrin, is generally more effective, as it does not break down as quickly when exposed to light and moisture. Warning: Both pyrethrin and permethrin are extremely toxic to cats! There are a number of commercial pesticides that can be used to control silverfish. Always read a product’s label before use to determine that it is safe for your household.
Hopefully you enjoyed our excerpt about How to Help Get Rid of Silverfish in Your Home. Thanks so much for spending some time to read through our short article. Do you know anybody else who is enthusiastic about the niche? Feel free to share it. Thank-you for your time spent reading it.