Silverfish are not the water variety species! They are insects that can infest your home and can contaminate your food in the cabinets and pantries, books, carpets, book bindings and a host of other stuff. However, an infestation of this insect is better avoided. For that you may also connect with a pest control service offering Silverfish Control Melbourne solutions. The damage done by them can go unnoticed as they tend to stay hidden from human presence. Read ahead to understand everything you need to know about silverfish and how to get rid of their infestation:
How can I identify a silverfish?
- They are about 12-19mm insects that are white, brownish grey or a bluish-silver in colour.
- They have an oval and elongated body with slippery scales that protect them from predators.
- Their bodies are flattened resembling a teardrop or a fish. Besides their silvery-gray color, their most noticeable feature is the three thread-like tails at the tip of their abdomen.
- Their slender body is flexible and also enables them to enter into books, magazine and books with binding so it can feed on the paste within without being noticed until damage has been done.
Things that silverfish eat:
- Silverfish like feasting on books and items like papers, curtains, rugs, carpets, upholstery, clothing, draperies, dead insects, and the wallpaper.
- Silverfish can also eat cereals, pasta, flour, starch-rich foods, dried beef, oats and protein filled food. Which is why you can find them in kitchens and pantries in the house.
They also love to feast on glue, paint and book bindings which can make them a hazard even for libraries. They can destroy old paintings and photographs too. Hence, if you have spotted some silverfish, you should not ignore them. As they may multiply and increase drastically. Though, it is also essential for you to know that even if you think you have succeeded by starving them for many months – they may come back in larger numbers. Hence it is wise to opt for professional Silverfish Pest Control Service in Melbourne.
Places where silverfish can be found:
Silverfish can be seen virtually any place in a house including drawing rooms, bedrooms, attics, kitchen, pantry, bathrooms, basements, garages and shake roofs.
How to prevent and control silverfish infestation?
Is your house invaded by the silverfish? Let us give you a peek into what can be done easily for preventing as well as getting rid of the silverfish infestation in your premises.
- Allow fresh air and sunlight to reach every corner of the rooms. Rooms that do not get air and sunlight are likely to be inhabited by silverfish.
- Inspecting and checking through the likely areas in the house for a silverfish infestation is key to controlling their population.
- If the infestation is confined only to the indoors, then it may be safe to concur that the infestation isn’t very old and has been due to bringing in already infested items.
- Placing naphthalene balls in all locations including closets, pantries, wardrobes, and all other places that have silverfish infestation may help. Silverfish and other insects have an aversion to the smell of these balls and hence such pesky insects can be eliminated easily.
- Do not forget to remove all the objects stored on the outdoors of the house. As these things can provide an entry to silverfish inside your home. It is important to remove all points of entry for silverfish as they can simply enter by hiking up walls, window and door frames, utility pipes and exhausts.
- If you have a shake roof then that also needs to be cleaned routinely.
- You can use the oil in a diffuser or a spray bottle filled with water and cedar oil. They hate the strong-smelling pheromones in cedar.
- Additionally you can buy a dehumidifier for your home to control the humidity levels indoors that help silverfish thrive. Controlling the humidity levels inside can prevent any silverfish from entering and growing in your home.
- If there is any faulty plumbing in your house you need to get that repaired too as those leaky faucets and drains may be providing the necessary moisture to silverfish for them to thrive.
- Also, dispose or take out any mould-infested rugs, carpets or logs of wood.
- Avoid storing old magazines and books that are long outdated anywhere in your attic or basement. These things provide silverfish with the necessary nutrition to survive as well as grow.
- Store flour, cereals, sugar, carbohydrates and protein foods in airtight jars and containers.
- Maintain ventilation in all the areas of the house as warm and moist conditions are ideal for silverfish as well as other pests. Do not allow moisture and humidity to remain in your bathroom or kitchen. Remove humidity from the air by opening all doors and windows. Use fans to eliminate moisture levels from the air.
- Check for piles of leaves, bushes, shrubs, and other useless foliage and have it removed and burned. Keep the outer periphery of your home clean and free of any kind of garbage, litter or rubbish.
Connect with the experts at Pest Control Melbourne if the silverfish infestation in your house is of a bigger scale. Our experienced and highly skilled team professionals can identify as well as treat existing pest infestations. They also provide precautionary measures so as to prevent any infestation in future. Our teams have licensed and certified pest control experts for the job. Our services are available 24×7 and hence we are able to cater to our clients’ as per their convenience and comfort. Our teams check the property for signs of the pest infestation so they can provide appropriate treatment for the same.
