Silverfish are considered to be an occasional pest invader. They don’t often invade a home unless the conditions are just right. When silverfish do invade a home or building they can become rather destructive in some ways although they are not actually harmful to people. You can rest assured they carry no known diseases. A-Tex Pest Management will help reveal the reasons why silverfish will invade homes or other human domains and what can be done to control and prevent future silverfish invasions.
Are Silverfish Harmful? What Damage Do They Cause?
Silverfish are part of the arthropod family, which includes cockroaches and crabs. As stated before, there are no known diseases or illnesses associated with silverfish. Nonetheless, they can sting. At the same time, their stings rarely noticed and cause only mild irritations when they do occur. Other than the occasional sting they are rather harmless. However, when they do invade a home they can cause damage. Silverfish require food high in cellulose which can include books, paper, carpet and food with high amounts of sugar and wheat. They can begin to consume precious items. They’ll invade your pantry and contaminate your food and stored goods. Their diet is where they become a problem. Combine that with a quick reproductive system and in short order, they can amass a high population where damage can become severe.
Signs of a Silverfish Infestation
The common reason why silverfish invade a home is due to water damage. Silverfish are drawn toward damp, humid areas and are typically found in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. In other situations such as leaky plumbing or if flooding occurs, the silverfish will come. Since homes can provide a wide range of food sources, silverfish populations can explode. Keeping your home as dry as possible by using dehumidifiers and the exhaust fans can help ward off silverfish. Some signs of a silverfish infestation can be their molted skin and tiny holes found in linens or paper items accompanied by yellow stains. If the wallpaper has a hole or seems chewed on, this could be caused by either silverfish or cockroaches. Of course, a major indicator you have silverfish present is finding them in the home, typically in dark curves.
How to Prevent Silverfish
To help prevent and control a silverfish problem, start with keeping your home dry especially in the bathroom. Because most bathrooms are small with poor ventilation, when you shower turn the vent or fans on and turn them off shortly after you finish showering to get the fans time to help remove the moisture. It also helps by maintaining your home’s plumbing. Any leaking or dripping plumbing pipes should be repaired. As stated earlier, dehumidifiers will also help keep the humidity down. Another helpful prevention tip is to inspect and seal all cracks inside your home, especially around faucets, toilets, and sinks where silverfish gather. You can also use silverfish jar traps to help catch them. However, this is only good if you want to know you have silverfish and is not great to control a silverfish problem. Lastly, you can contact a pest control company to eliminate silverfish inside your home alongside any other pest.
Occasional Pest Invader Inspections, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park, Texas
Most people with a pest problem don’t realize how they often invite pests to come into their home. With the right prevention methods, you can ward off silverfish and many other pests all at the same time. For complete pest control, contact A-Tex Pest Management today.