Silverfish Insect

The scientific name of silverfish is Lepisma saccharina and it belongs to the order Thysanura. These wingless insects have silver scales on their body and a tapering abdomen. The body of this insect is soft, flattened and elongated. They also have three long tail projections and two antennae. They get their name due to the silver scales on their body and their fish-like movements. This small insect is capable of causing a lot of damage to a house, therefore, if you spot even one of these bugs in your home, you need to be very alert and try all possible methods of getting rid of them soon.

It is one of the common household bugs that thrives in a damp environment. So, if there is any leakage in your house, or there is a lack of ventilation in your house, you are giving an open invitation to these slimy insects to grow in your house. Once these find a place in your house, your wallpaper, books, clothes and starchy food is no longer safe. Don't be surprised if you see holes in your expensive clothes, wallpaper and books. Don't allow them to start their family in your house.

What do Silverfish Eat?

Wondering what these tiny insects eat? These chewing insects love starchy food. Be it flour, dried meat, paper, glue or fabrics, let me tell you, nothing is safe with these insects present in your home. They are nocturnal and therefore, active during the night. These can cause a serious damage to books, wallpapers and tapestries. Since these bugs feed on polysaccharides, therefore, starches and dextrin present in adhesives and glues become their preferred food source. These can cause a lot of damage to books as they feed on bookbinding glue.

Other food sources include papers, wallpapers, photographs, sugar, coffee and dandruff. These also feed on dead insects and fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk and other synthetic fabrics. The silverfish insect can also eat clothes and leave holes and yellow stains on fabrics.

Ways to Get Rid of Silverfish

Homeowners must never allow these bugs to flourish. Since they grow in humid or damp environment, you need to keep your house well-ventilated. Use dehumidifiers in the basements and attics. Maintaining a hygienic environment will also help.

These nocturnal insects generally come out at nights and feed on the food lying outside. Therefore, storing your food in airtight containers might also help. Another thing you need to do is declutter your home. These insects can hide in hard to find places and wreak havoc on household goods. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to locate them. You could try vacuuming in cracks and crevices.

Along with these preventive steps, you could also use poisoned baits to locate them. Make a paste using flour and water and apply a very thin coating on both sides of index cards. Once the cards have dried up, place them in the area suspected of being infested. In case these bugs are present in that area, you might see irregular scrapping on the cards. Insecticides could also be used for exterminating them. These are available in the form of dust, sprays, baits and bombs. Dust could be put in the crevices and entry points in wall partitions. It might eliminate these bugs in about 2 weeks. Use insecticide bombs in hard-to-reach places. Citrus sprays can also be used to get rid of them.

Since these insects can cause a lot of damage to the household goods, you must take all possible steps to get rid of these bugs. Keep your house dry and free of clutter. If you ever see any signs of damage on your wallpapers and books, get rid of them to prevent further damage.