Long, skinny, and shiny bugs, characterized by their tail and antennas. You rarely see them, yet they are there! Silverfish mostly appear during the night. Damaged books, wallpaper and clothes prove their presence.
You rather keep those silverfish outside of your house. Where do these shiny bugs come from? How can you prevent silverfish from coming into your house? And how can you drive the silverfish away if they are already there? Discover easy DIY solutions and the best tips to get rid of silverfish.
Are there different types of silverfish?
Yes, there are different types of silverfish, 120 species worldwide. The most common silverfish are the grey one (the common silverfish) and the one with a slightly browner shade (the long-tailed silverfish or paperfish). Both like humid places, though the one with the browner shade can also easily survive in dryer spots. Where the greyer one eats mostly mold and food scraps, the browner ones also love to eat books and clothes.
Where do silverfish come from?
The little bugs are light shy, so they like to hide in the darker places. Mostly at night they will leave their hiding places and appear to look for food. Silverfish easily crawl into the house through tiny gaps or cracks. You can also bring in silverfish yourself, without knowing. They often hide in moving boxes, books and clothes. It can be quite a challenge to keep these unwanted guests outside of your house!
What time of year do silverfish come out?
Silverfish love warmer temperatures. 24 degrees in combination with a high humidity level of 75% will offer silverfish ideal living circumstances. Houses and buildings with central heating are for silverfish the perfect place to settle in.
How fast do silverfish multiply?
Silverfish lay around 10 eggs each time, which will hatch within 8 weeks. The little ones look basically exactly like the mature silverfish, except that they are white and much smaller. Within 3 years they will mature. They shed their old skin every few months, and they will become darker each time. Some silverfish can even reach the age of 8 years.
Are silverfish dangerous to my health?
Silverfish are no direct threat to your health, but they do spread bacteria in kitchen cabinets and food. Often unnoticed, as they mostly appear at night. Silverfish can also cause a lot of damage to your books, wallpaper, and clothes. Unwanted house guests that you rather keep away.
4 tips for preventing silverfish and paperfish
Keeping silverfish outside is of course better than having to drive them away. With these simple actions you make sure that these unwanted guests don’t enter your house and settle in.
1. Keep the humidity level low
Try to keep the humidity level in your house low. For silverfish it’s challenging to survive in spaces where the humidity level is lower than 40%.
2. Close gaps and cracks
Check your house for small gaps and cracks and try to close them as much as you can. This way the tiny bugs can’t find safe hiding spaces behind wallpaper, in the floor or wall.
3. Store away food properly
Make sure that silverfish can’t reach food containing a lot of starch or carbohydrates. Store away food properly and make sure you keep the kitchen clean. Silverfish also love paper and natural fabrics. Make sure books, magazines and clothes are also being stored in a safe place.
4. Close off gaps and cracks
Silverfish love to travel. They crawl into moving boxes and hide in books and clothes. Before you move or bring secondhand books or clothes into the house, check if there are any silverfish in it. Clean out the boxes and use a vacuum cleaner to make sure you’re not bringing any unwanted visitors into your home.