Silverfish Bugs
learn how to prevent, control and exterminate silverfish
learn how to prevent, control and exterminate silverfish
Anyone who has had an infestation of silverfish in their home knows what a pain it can be to deal with them. They will eat through nearly anything that contains sugars or starches and are relentless in their search for food. Luckily, there are a number of steps that you can take to prevent an infestation from occurring, or deal with one that is already present.
To prevent a silverfish infestation, you have to identify what they will look for. Since they typically infest the damp and dark areas of the home, you should start there. The first step you should take is getting rid of the environment that will bring them there in the first place. Since they typically start their search with areas that contain moisture, you should attempt to remove dampness and moisture from as many areas of the home as possible. If you do not give them a place to live, they won't seek residence in your home. Look for areas that might create moisture on their own, such as sources of faulty plumbing or leaks in the foundation. Many silverfish begin their inhabitation of your home in the basement or in the foundation of the home, and then will move into the other areas as they find locations that suit their needs. Using a dehumidifier will reduce the moisture in the air that is essential for them to survive. When you have identified an area that they may have infested, place a dehumidifier nearby. This should make them change locations, and keep them from coming back to the given area.
Another good idea is to reduce the number of dimly lit areas in your home. This can be done with the use of natural lights like through a window and can also be done using artificial light from lamps or other light fixtures. If you believe you have a silverfish infestation in a cupboard in your home, placing a bright lamp in the location could force them to vacate their location and search for another.
Also, make sure that you regularly vacuum cracks and crevices in your home where they could be hiding. Since they are not active during the day, they will often hide in these cracks until they come out at night to search for food. Vacuuming in these cracks will help you to reduce their numbers and control the situation.
Controlling an infestation can be relatively simple. Although the worst infestations might require you to call an exterminator, often times you will be able to deal with it on your own using a number of perimeter treatments in your home.
Cyonara 9.7 is one popular item that is often used to deal with silverfish infestation. It is an insecticide that is particularly effective against silverfish. All you have to do is walk around your home, and spray the insecticide in all of the cracks and crevices that could potentially be used as an entrance into your home. The products have no foul smells, and should not be lethal to any pets that you may have, although it is always a good idea to limit their exposure to the chemicals as much as possible. One perimeter spray of the insecticide should ensure that no more enter your home, but you also must deal with your current infestation.
There are a number of silverfish traps that are also available on the market. These usually contain some sort of bait that a silverfish will enjoy, and then will either enclose them in the trap or will poison them with insecticide. For these types of traps to be effective, you have to place them as close to their location and food source as possible. They will not travel great distances to take your bait, so putting it in a location that they are already in is the most effective method.
Insecticide dusts are also available. These kits are great for pouring the dusts into the cracks and crevices that you would not otherwise be able to reach. Because the spray insecticides are not for use in the home, the dusts can be a great way to deal with a silverfish infestation that you have been having trouble dealing with. The dusts will typically keep any silverfish or other pest away for up to six months. After that time, if you are still worried about infestation, you might want to consider re-applying the dust to trouble areas.
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