There is something disconcerting about finding a silverfish crawling around inside your Tampa home. These small, strange-looking insects are nothing short of confusing, especially to those who have never dealt with them in the past. If you are curious to know more about these invasive bugs and curious if they pose any threats to your health and safety, here are a few things you should know.
What Are Silverfish?
Silverfish are a strange-looking species of insects that live in our area and regularly invade homes. Also called bristletails, silverfish have three tail-like appendages protruding from their last abdominal segment. You can further identify one of these pests by its metallic silver color, long antennae, and 12-mm-long, flat, fish-like body.
The average lifespan of a silverfish is two to three years. A single female produces more than 50 offspring in this time. Eggs laid by females take 19 to 43 days to hatch. Once hatched, silverfish young take a few months to reach sexual maturity and start reproducing.
Why Do Silverfish Invade Homes?
Silverfish are drawn to moist environments. As conditions outdoors become dry, these pests start looking for ways to come indoors. You are most likely to find silverfish crawling around your basement, crawlspaces, laundry room, kitchen, and other humid rooms around your home. One thing these pests need to survive when they come indoors is a reliable source of food. As for diet, silverfish live on things like cereal, grains, coffee, pasta, cereal boxes, books, wallpaper, and other starchy items. In short, these pests will have no trouble finding food if they find their way into your Tampa home.
Are Silverfish Dangerous?
There is nothing dangerous about silverfish. They do not spread dangerous diseases, do not bite or sting, and don't cause passive issues that pose risks to human health. What silverfish do threaten is property. Due to their strange eating habits, it is not uncommon for things like books, wallpaper, storage boxes, and other items to become damaged when these pests are around.
How To Make Your Home Less Attractive To Silverfish
In order to make your home less attractive to silverfish, you have to address a few key factors: entry points, moisture points, and food sources. To properly limit their access to these things, here are some helpful prevention tips we recommend you use.
- Thoroughly search your home’s exterior foundation and around window/door frames for cracks, gaps, and openings. Seal off these entry points using a caulking gun or some liquid cement.
- Keep your eye out for wet spots on walls/ceilings, leaks under sinks, and fixtures that continually drip. Address these moisture issues as they occur.
- Eliminate sources of water build-up in and around your property.
- Use a dehumidifier around particularly humid rooms around your home.
- Store cereal, grains, flour, and other similar foods inside airtight containers.
- Keep surfaces around your home clean.
Why Professional Pest Control Is Necessary For Silverfish
There are many strategies that help reduce your chances of finding silverfish inside your home but few options to get them out when they come inside. The most effective method by far is to get a professional involved. At Bold Servicing, we offer detailed pest control services to identify, eliminate, and prevent silverfish. We also offer long-term control options to keep a wide range of general pests from getting inside to cause trouble.
Give our team a call now to discuss your options for treatment and find an option that best addresses your home’s current pest issues.