Feb 15 2007
Your Options for Sifting Out your Silverfish Population
A silver fish is a small insect with a uniform silvery color over the upper surface of its long flat body. Silverfish can be found all over the place, but they prefer damp location with moderate temperatures, such as basements, laundry rooms, and under sinks. These insects may look harmless, but they can cause damage to books, wallpaper, carpeting, and fabrics, and contaminate foods. Home owners should not worry if they discover an infestation in their homes, because there are ways of eliminating a silverfish population. Silverfish prefer moist environments and require a large supply of starchy foods or molds. A silverfish population is most commonly found in dark attics due to the abundant food sources, because most attics contain recycled blown in paper insulation and storage boxes. Silverfish may also be found trapped in sinks and bathtubs, because they often enter them seeking moisture, and are unable to climb the slick vertical structures to escape.
Silverfish are attracted to damp places, and the most obvious way to get rid of a population is to dry damp areas, but there are many different ways to get rid of silverfish. Silverfish can also be eradicated using insecticides, baits, vacuums, and diatomaceous earth. If any home owner has a chance of eliminating a silverfish population, they must first eliminate damp areas in the home. Some common sources of undue moisture include faulty plumbing, condensation, and open drains. Using a dehumidifier will reduce the moisture content of the air in a home, thus running the pests away. Other ways to dehumidify a home include fixing leaking pipes, eliminating standing water, and ventilating rooms and the attic.
It is also important to keep drains closed when they are not in use. Eliminating food sources is another way to reduce a silverfish population; food should be kept in sealed containers. Insecticide is also a great way of removing a silverfish population. A residual perimeter treatment of insecticide will be sufficient for eradicating a small silverfish population. Demon WP or Talstar One insecticides can be used to eliminate small silverfish infestations. The insecticide should be sprayed around possible entry points and around the foundation of the house; insecticide should be sprayed along the foundational wall with a two or three-foot band.
The insecticide used for elimination can also be applied along baseboards, closets, windows, and doors; home owners should pay extra attention to places were books and clothes are stored. The insecticide should never be used in places where food is stored, and if the silverfish infestation is severe, insecticide should be applied in storage boxes and insulation in the attic. Bait is another means of silverfish control that can be used by home owners. Silverfish baits will provide greater control of the population, and it is important to place baits as close to their habitats as possible to provide the best performance. Baits should be placed in areas that are not visible, such as attic insulation, behind refrigerators and ovens, in boxes, around light fixtures and electrical outlets, and under siding.
Vacuuming regularly is also a helpful way to reduce a silverfish population. Silverfish are soft-bodied, and vacuuming around cracks in baseboards and in crevices is an effective way of removing them from their habitats. Additionally, storage locations should also be cleaned frequently, especially areas where books and fabrics are kept. Diatomaceous earth is a cost-effective way to rid the home of a silverfish population. The product looks and feels like talcum powder and costs less than $10 for a five-pound bag, which is a lifetime supply. The diatomaceous earth scratches the outer casing of the insects, which causes them to dehydrate. A thin line of the product can be applied along baseboard cracks, and other places of silverfish citations.
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Hey Jennifer,
I think you’re wrong when you say that silverfish sting. They don’t sting.
You are correct – thanks for the catch! I’ve edited accordingly.
how are silverfish important because i’m doing a project and it says what is your insect role or how it important so please send me an email in the next five mimutes thank you
Be careful when you say they do not sting. They do something. My stepfather woke 2 nights ago while visiting my home with an excrutiating pain in his ear and complained of a stinging within his ear. After flushing is ear with warm water and alcohol…guess what came out…a silverfish!!! when he went to the doctor today, she found that he had a wound deep in the ear canal that was in the form of a blister. i cannot say it “stung” him, but it bit, dug, or did something to cause the horrible pain and blistering. I have seen silverfish here and there since i have lived in my home, but have never had any trouble with them. this really scared me as I have two young children. I hate that this happened to my stepdad, but better him than my babies.
To Beth, How did the Doc. treat the blistering in your stepfather’s ear?
They might not sting, but it feels like a sting! I felt a bug on my arm inside my t-shirt and was able to pinch the tshirt around it right after it stung me, and then to see what it was. It was a tiny 1/2″ silverfish stuck inbetween my t-shirt and my skin! It did not blister or turn red, and it only stung for a moment.
Is there a plant you can buy that the silverfish do not like the “smell” of?
last night I was sleeping and I woke up as if there was water in my ear. So I went into the bathroom and used a q-tip with no evidence of anything. Then I shook my head like parallel to the ground, like swimmers ear. A silverfish fell out of my ear. Let me tell you it freaked me out. the house is old, and let me tell you it will be exterminated.