Silverfish

• Are you finding holes in your clothes ?
• Finding silver looking fish like creatures with legs, around your skirtings?
• When was the last time you had your house pest treated ?

Silverfish are usually found scurrying around your skirting boards in your home. They can be found in your roof voids and wardrobes.  You may not even see them but are finding holes in your clothes. You have used naphthalene (moth) balls, garlic cloves and still no results??  It’s time to get a pest treatment so you can protect your clothes in the future.

Identification Fact Sheet

• Soft, elongate body tapering towards the abdomen and covered with silvery-grey scales;
• Small compound eyes, some species are eyeless;
• Wingless;
• Long antennae;
• Fish-like appearance;
• Up to 20mm long.

Habits

Silverfish have become common inhabitants of manmade dwellings and are often found in dark sheltered areas about the home.

These places are usually undisturbed, dark and damp e.g.: cupboards, wardrobes, bookshelves, bathrooms or basements.

They eat a variety of foods, including glue, wallpaper paste, bookbinding’s, paper, photographs, starch in clothing, cotton, linen, leather and even dead insects.

Prevention

Reducing dark areas, improving humidity levels in certain areas and removing archives or stored books and papers can be a start in limiting the amount of silverfish infestations.

It can also depend on the structure of the house which can also play a part. Things like insulated ceilings, hidden wall cavities on woven ceiling materials could attract or reside silverfish. Therefore simple pest control procedures could provide assistance in reducing the numbers of silverfish within your home.

Treatments

General pest control treatments include silverfish in their common household treatments. Dusting of roof voids and treatments to dark areas can assist in eliminating your silverfish problems.

Co-operation with our clients can also assist in our treatments by removing archive storage, stacked paper or newspapers just before a treatment, removing all stored goods from beneath wardrobes before a treatment is carried out can also help us treat these high risk areas properly. These and goods and shoes can all be returned approximately 3 – 4 hours later.