Winter Cannot Stop The Almighty Silverfish

While the winter weather does keep many pests away, homes and commercial buildings are never safe from silverfish infestations! Silverfish are small (about “½” in size), flattened insects, with a carrot-shaped body covered in silvery scales. At the tapered end of their body are three tail-like appendages.

All silverfish prefer to hide during the day in tight cracks and crevices. In a home, silverfish can be found just about anywhere, including basements, attics, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms and garages. In a commercial setting, silverfish are found throughout offices, libraries and stores. Silverfish thrive in areas with higher humidity, and usually live close to their food source.

Silverfish feed on a variety of foods, including paper, wall paper, glue and other insects (including their own kind). Based on their diet, it is no surprise that silverfish are often introduced into buildings via cardboard cartons, or books and papers from an infested location.

Interestingly, silverfish can survive for weeks without food and water. The female silverfish lays about 1 – 3 eggs per day, placing them in cracks or behind objects such as baseboards. The lifespan of a silverfish is impressive, as the majority can live up to 3 years!

These insects are primarily a nuisance, but a heavy silverfish infestation can lead to considerable damage to books, paper products or synthetic fibers. The best way to get rid of a silverfish infestation is to call one of our pest control professionals. In order properly control silverfish, they must first be identified, and the suspected areas must be de-cluttered, and treated. Dehumidifiers may also prove useful, depending on the silverfish species.

Read our deBugged blog post about the most common winter pests here.