Silverfish may not be a pest that you recognize immediately. As their name suggests, these insects are a metallic silver color. Their bodies are also a fish-like shape with three long bristle appendages on the rear part of their body. Silverfish don’t fly, but can run very fast and are capable of climbing walls with ease.
Seeing these creepy-crawly pests around your home can be a disturbing experience for homeowners, but Go-Forth Home Services can help make that a thing of the past! Our Virginia Beach pest control experts specialize in keeping problem pests like silverfish out of your home. Keep reading to learn more about how we can help solve your silverfish issues and keep your home completely pest-free.
How To Identify Silverfish In Your Home
Silverfish in Virginia Beach are nocturnal and prefer to live in the dark, moist areas of your home where you don’t spend much time, so seeing a lot of silverfish around your home is unlikely. The best way to identify a silverfish infestation in your home is to know the signs of their presence, including:
- Droppings: Silverfish droppings look like black peppercorns and are small enough to be mistaken for dirt or dust.
- Skin Molts: Silverfish shed their skin regularly during their lifecycle. Their outermost shells are transparent and hard to see, but a good indicator of an infestation.
- Stains: When silverfish molts are crushed or disintegrate, they leave behind yellow dust on surfaces like books and boxes.
- Chew Marks: Silverfish damage usually consists of irregular holes and notches on the edges of surfaces of books, magazines, and other items silverfish feed on.
- Sightings: Though it isn’t common, seeing a live silverfish in your home is the most obvious sign that you have a silverfish problem.
If you see any of these telltale signs of silverfish activity, it’s important to take action to get rid of them sooner rather than later.
Why You Don’t Want Silverfish In Your House
There’s no such thing as a positive when it comes to having pests in your home, but the good news about silverfish is that they aren’t dangerous to humans. However, that doesn’t mean you want them hanging around.
The problem with silverfish is the damage they can cause. Silverfish will eat almost anything, including paper products. They are known to chew through books, magazines, envelopes, family photographs, and clothing. If silverfish find their way into your home, they can destroy priceless memories and eat their way through your wardrobe.
Ways To Prevent Silverfish Infestations In Your Home
Silverfish are hard to find and even harder to eliminate. The best way to control silverfish is to prevent them from getting into your home in the first place.
Here are some other ways to prevent a silverfish infestation in your home that may be helpful:
- Limit the moisture in your home by running your bathroom fan while showering, opening vents in your basement, and using a dehumidifier.
- Replace wet or moldy wood.
- Seal any cracks around windows, doors, utility pipes, and vents.
- Use natural scents like organic citrus sprays, lavender oil, cucumber slices, bay, or cloves to repel silverfish.
- Use traps made by putting newspaper in a jar to catch silverfish.
Remember that silverfish are excellent climbers, so cracks, crevices, and wet areas off the ground will still attract silverfish.
How To Get Rid Of Silverfish For Good
If you are dealing with an active silverfish infestation in your home, the best way to get rid of it is with professional help. At Go-Forth Home Services, we offer professional silverfish control as part of our home pest control plans.
Our trained exterminators will inspect your home, identify signs of a silverfish infestation, and work quickly to remove these pests from your home. We’ll also schedule routine follow-up treatments to make sure your home remains silverfish-free.
Don’t let silverfish take up residence in your home. Call us today and let Go-Forth Home Services protect your home from silverfish and other common pests in Virginia Beach.