Silverfish or bristletails are some of the less desirable nuisance pests to have running loose in your Queen Creek home. These small insects are hardy animals that can survive in a variety of environments without food and water as long as there is enough humidity. Pest control in Queen Creek can help you identify, control, and prevent silverfish, but there is a lot that homeowners can do on their own as well. Here's what you should know about identifying silverfish, the issues they create in our homes, factors that attract silverfish, and how you can get rid of them.
How To Identify A Silverfish
Silverfish generally grow between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch long, not including their tail. They are teardrop shaped, tapering from head to tail. Their shape, along with their metallic coloring and wriggling movements, is the basis of the silverfish's name. There are other bugs that look like silverfish with bristletails, but none have quite the same aquatic features.
Silverfish are experts at hiding, and you may not be able to identify them by sight. Other signs of silverfish infestations include feeding marks like irregular holes or notches along the edge of materials, yellow stains, scales or tiny, black, pepper-like droppings in infested materials.
The Issue With Silverfish Creeping Around Your Home
Silverfish do not present a serious health concern for people and our pets, and they won't do significant damage to our homes, but that doesn't mean you'll want silverfish in your house. Silverfish feed on a variety of items, including wallpaper, books, glue, clothing, and dried food. They will also consume meat and dead or injured insects. When you have a large silverfish infestation in your home, you are more likely to notice the accumulating damage. Another issue with silverfish is that they often gain entry to homes through the roof and can be seen dropping from skylights or canister lights. To avoid being startled by dropping silverfish or discovering damage they have done to your belongings, it's important to minimize the factors that attract silverfish to your home in the first place.
Factors That Attract Silverfish Into Your Home
Silverfish are versatile creatures, but there are a few key elements that can draw them to your home. Things that attract silverfish include:
- Moisture: This is a major draw for silverfish. You can limit excess moisture by using dehumidifiers, fixing leaking plumbing, maintaining drainage, and repairing or replacing moldy or wet wood.
- Food: Like any pest, silverfish are more likely to enter homes with abundant food sources. You can limit this factor by storing paper products in plastic totes instead of cardboard boxes, keeping food stored in airtight containers, and eliminating other pest infestations silverfish might be feeding on.
- Easy Access: Silverfish can be mistakenly brought inside with cardboard boxes from an infested location. If there are branches or items stored against your home's exterior, they can create a pathway for silverfish to find a way inside through windows, utility pipes, or vents. Shake roofs are also an ideal entry point for silverfish.
- Temperature and Humidity: Silverfish prefer environments between 72 and 90 degrees with at least 50 to 75% humidity.
Eliminating the factors that attract silverfish can go a long way in your efforts to prevent them.
The Trick To Getting Rid Of Silverfish In Your Home
It's great to be aware of how to prevent silverfish, but if these insects are already a nuisance in your home, it may be time to think about silverfish pest control. The best way to get rid of silverfish is with help from an expert like Pro Active Pest Control. Our professionals can help you eliminate silverfish and other nuisance pests as well as develop a plan to keep them from coming back. Call today to learn more or set up a service for your Queen Creek home.