Silverfish 101

You see them from the corner of your eye. They are long and almost slither like a snake across your wall but unlike a snake they have legs. And not just legs but a lot of legs. That’s the moment your brain makes the connection – silverfish. 

For whatever reason silverfish are one of those creepy crawlers that just rub most people the wrong way. While people may put off calling a pest control expert for ants, or mosquitos or other common, more tolerable, critters, silverfish usually earn a very speedy call to the experts. This week we’re breaking down what you need to know about silverfish,  including how to prevent them from moving in. 

What are Silverfish? 

We’ll assume you mean other than creepy! Silverfish are actually rather harmless, primitive bugs that have been around for (almost) forever. Silverfish are one of the oldest insects on earth and are actually older than dinosaurs. 

As with any living thing that has survived this long, they’re highly resilient and adaptable. This is why we get so many calls about them during the colder months of the year. Most homeowners expect all the bugs and critters to be on hiatus until the warmer months return, but silverfish are the obvious exception to this notion. 

What conditions do silverfish need to survive?

These bugs are tough. They can survive all winter long and hardly encounter a temperature they can’t tolerate. They do however need humidity to thrive and multiply. This is why most people find silverfish living in places like attics, basements and crawl spaces. These places stay cold, humid and dark all year round and make perfect silverfish suburbs. 

What do silverfish eat?

Starch mostly. It’s possible that a few million years ago they would have subsisted on potatoes, other starchy vegetables and plants, but today they typically dine on paper. Silverfish often will feast on old books, magazines and newspapers and will even eat through your wallpaper if it’s old enough to have been made of real paper! 

Their diet can complicate silverfish control and prevention plans because you cannot just remove their food sources, as  many necessary household items contain starch. 

Are Silverfish Dangerous?

Silverfish as an insect are not dangerous. They do not bite, or sting or have any form of poison that can affect us humans, or even our pets. However, silverfish can and often do spread diseases. 

These bugs are ancient and are not susceptible to thousands of bacteria and viruses that we are and they creep and crawl through all sorts of nasty places. If you see a silverfish in or near your kitchen you should call pest control experts immediately. If silverfish are getting into any of your foods (many of which contain their favorite food source- starch) they could be contaminating everything they touch. 

Even if they aren’t seen in the kitchen it could be a good idea to have the home treated if silverfish are often seen. If they are breeding in a crawlspace or attic it’s only a matter of time before they venture into the rest of your home looking for other food sources. 

How can you prevent silverfish?

Prevention is tricky. If you do not have a silverfish problem you likely won’t need to do anything to prevent them until you encounter a reason to. If your home’s conditions are suitable to a silverfish – that should go far enough in the way of prevention. 

However, if you have a silverfish problem or have in the past prevention is simple enough. Seal any cracks and entry points to your home as much as possible and give a quality, well-respected pest control company a call to schedule regular treatment. A simple spray on treatment in the common problem areas can eliminate silverfish immediately and prevent their return for months at a time. 

Silverfish are ancient creepy looking critters that are highly resilient and that may seem like that would help them to survive. But unlike cockroaches or other more modern creatures, silverfish are pretty simple insects, when it comes to intelligence. So if you sight these shiny, wiggly, dinosaur bugs – fear not. Treatment is instant and long-lasting. They literally won’t know what hit them.