What Are Silverfish and What They Are Doing in Your Home

You might have some centipede-like insects showing up around your house. They could be in your bathroom or under your bed. These are known as silverfish. While they might seem pretty benign, they can actually cause a lot of problems. These are things you need to know about silverfish and how to deal with them.

What Are They?

Silverfish are creatures with remarkable longevity. They were on Earth before the dinosaurs, and they’ve thrived even without much in the way of defensive traits. Their persistence might be their greatest quality, as they can for months without outside nutrients.

How Do They Get in Homes?

Silverfish, like other insects, are attracted to things like food and moisture. Faulty waterspouts or other moist places, such as mulch piles, can draw them in. They might start by hanging outside your home, but the promise of a consistent temperature can be irresistible. Before you know it, you might start seeing them regularly. However, they’re shy creatures and will scurry away in the presence of humans.

Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Am I in Danger?

You likely don’t need to worry about silverfish causing any serious harm to your health, as they don’t bite or carry any diseases. However, they can provoke allergic reactions in some. Your pets could even eat them and be okay. However, they can cause a lot of damage to things around your home, such as your clothes. It can also be unflattering to your home as a place of cleanliness. Make your home one that is as uninviting for silverfish as possible, with little moisture and your food safely covered and stored.

שומבלע, CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons

Do I Need Professional Help?

You may just see one or two silverfish in your home and assume that the problem is contained. However, silverfish can linger for a long time and multiply fast. You’ll likely need to hire a professional exterminating service to deal with this problem head-on. They can evaluate your home and determine the size and root of the infestation. Then, they can take the measures to kill the current silverfish and make it so future infestations don’t occur. This is a tough process, but it’s much better than having to deal with a bunch of insects crawling all over your walls and around your bathtub.

Minghong, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Silverfish are a common nuisance in many households. However, you deserve better than having to accept their presence. Fight back against this scourge by keeping your home dry and clean, and bringing in outside help, like a pest control specialist, when you need it.