Sometimes the smallest insects can cause the most damage.
Finding a silverfish in your home makes for a really bad day. They are sneaky, destructive, and never alone. It can take a lot to eradicate these little guys.
What Do Silverfish Look Like?
Silverfish are aptly named. They are silver in color and have fish-like movements and shape. Silverfish have scales, which gives them their metallic shimmer. They have three "tails" at the end of their body, which are bristly appendages. They are small, with their bodies usually ranging from 1/2 to 3/4", and have a tear-drop shape. Silverfish also have antennae.
Silverfish like humid, moist areas in your home, meaning that you'll most likely find them in basements, attics or bathrooms. They can't fly, but they can run very quickly. They will try to keep out of sight, so you may have a infestation before you're even aware they're there.
Females lay multiple eggs a day. While the development time could take months or years, silverfish themselves can live up to three years and can survive for weeks without food or water. They are nocturnal and good at hiding during the day, making them even more difficult to notice before things get really bad.
Can Silverfish Cause Damage?
Silverfish generally do not cause harm to humans. While they can cause allergies, they don't bite. They can, however, cause significant damage to your property. They will infest paper items, such as books, wallpaper, and other such items, causing them to become damaged or destroyed completely. Additionally, they will feed on other things in your home, such as clothing. Silverfish will also eat food items, such as flour and oats.
Silverfish aren't just a nuisance, they are can cause irreparable harm to important documents or other irreplaceable items, such as scrapbooks.
How To Keep Silverfish Out Of Your Home
So how do you know if you've got a silverfish infestation? Keep an eye out for holes, notched edges or other feeding marks. You may also notice yellow stains or droppings that look like black pepper. You may even see a silverfish itself.
If you've seen any of these indications, you need to contact a professional pest control company. Because of the nature of silverfish, you will likely not be effective at tackling this issue on your own.
And remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Maintaining a year-round pest control barrier that will discourage them from coming into your home in the first place can save a lot of headaches later.
To learn even more about pests in Virginia, check out pest library
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