Silverfish Infestation
Nocturnal,
secretive and wingless, the carrot-shaped Silverfish has been on the planet for
400 million years. With fossilised remains being found, it makes this small
silvery, scaled insect one of the first to have roamed the planet.
This,
however, will be of little comfort if you are inundated with wriggling
Silverfish in your kitchen or bathroom.
No
impact on human health
First
and foremost, despite their unwanted appearance in your bathroom or kitchen,
Silverfish do no present a hazard to human health. Silverfish naturally live in
damp, dark and dank places, such as under logs, in leaf litter and so on but,
like so many other pests, our homes can provide the conditions that they seek -
food and shelter.
In
fact, spotting Silverfish in a property can be a sign of damp conditions,
possibly hitherto undetected.
Protein
rich diet
Silverfish
search for protein, and they find it in many different places, one place being the
glue and gum of book bindings, wallpaper and such like. As a result, every
library across the country dread the day they see a Silverfish on its shelves
as there will be damage.
On
one hand, you could spot only one or two Silverfish but, what can be a common occurrence
is that once you spot one, there can be a whole army of Silverfish hiding in
cracks, crevices, behind peeling wallpaper, behind skirting boards etc.
Dealing
with infestations
For
you own peace of mind, as well as to prevent further damage, an infestation
needs to be dealt with but, the miniscule nature of this silvery, scaled insect
can mean that the measures taken need to be thorough. The good news is, a
professional pest controller can deal with the issue relatively easily and
quickly.
Once
an infestation of Silverfish has been confirmed, the following action needs to
be taken...
·
the reason why the infestation has occurred will
need to be identified; in some cases it can mean that there is a leak in in the
plumbing, or possible a damp issue within the fabric of the building
·
our habits may also need to change - for
example, drying wet clothes inside or using a non-vented dryer can all contribute
to creating the damp conditions that can attract Silverfish in to a home
·
the use of a de-humidifier may be called for in
the property too to dry it out
·
Books and clothing can be frozen for 4 to 7 days
as the extreme cold kills Silverfish and eggs
The
Silverfish life cycle
There
is no mating season for Silverfish - the male inset lays its sperm on a silk
thread, which the female then simply walks over to fertilise her eggs. Laying
100 eggs or more over her lifetime, these almost too-small-to-see eggs will
hatch, producing identical looking insects.
Living
for 3 to 6 years, the Silverfish sheds and moults as it grows (another giveaway
sign you have a Silverfish problem) and also leave excrement and small, yellow
urine spots on books, paper and fabric; keeping damp areas, such as basements
of a property free from paper based junk (piles of newspaper etc.) is one way
of keeping Silverfish at bay
Heed
the appearance of Silverfish as a sign of damp!
Although
we are becoming less tolerant of pests in the home, their presence can also be
a helpful indication that something is not right. Simply eradiating them but
not dealing with any underlying damp issues, will mean that within a few weeks
they simply re-appear.
Check
everything from leaking plumbing, to guttering and other areas where damp could
be seeping in to your property. Seal cracks and crevices too but, before if you
believe you have Silverfish in your basement, kitchen or bathroom, call us for
advice and cost-effective treatment options.