Considering how common they are, you've probably seen a silverfish or two hanging out in your bathroom, your basement, or other moist areas of your house. These moisture-loving pests have it pretty easy here in Washington State. They don't have to look all that far for the moisture they need, but other goodies in your house can still draw them in. That's why they need to be a part of your Kittitas County pest control plan.
What Do Silverfish Look Like?
You may have seen a silverfish in your house without even realizing it. These unassuming little bugs can often pass for other species, like roaches or even house centipedes. However, there are ways you can tell the difference between these and other pests.
Of course, the color is the biggest way you can tell if a silverfish is a silverfish. Adult silverfish are shiny gray, just like fish. Roaches and centipedes will not have this scaly, silvery color. You can also tell silverfish from roaches by their long abdominal tails and distinguish them from house centipedes by their six legs.
Silverfish are insects. But if you look really closely at them, they kind of look like shrimp or even lobsters. Their bodies taper at the tail and are sectional like those of crustaceans. However, because they are insects, you will notice that there are six legs, two antennae, and three body parts, though it can be difficult to identify the head, thorax, and abdomen because of their scales.
How Dangerous Are Silverfish?
Realistically speaking, silverfish are not all that dangerous. They can spread some pathogens to your food by crawling through it and dragging germs into it, but getting a disease from a silverfish is quite rare. They're not known to carry pathogens.
On the other hand, the silverfish diet means they can be quite dangerous to certain items in your house. Silverfish will eat anything with starch in it. You might think that that means they're going to snack on your potato chips or the cornstarch in your baking supplies. But there are far more things in your house that have starch in them than you would think.
Silverfish can damage certain natural fabrics, paper (including wallpaper and book pages), and even certain glues and adhesives that contain starches. Although they're unlikely to damage things like electrical wiring or plumbing, silverfish can damage prized items like clothing and books. Some of these items may be irreplaceable, so it's important to keep silverfish away.
How Can I Prevent Silverfish In My Home?
To avert silverfish damage, you'll want to keep your home as unattractive to these insects as possible. To do this:
- Cover all trash with tight lids at all times.
- Fix moisture issues like condensation or leaky plumbing.
- Seal up cracks and holes in your home exterior to make it harder for silverfish to enter.
- Store starches and anything that might contain starch in airtight containers.
- Never leave pet foods or bowls sitting out; feed pets and put their dishes away.
Following these principles can make your home less attractive to silverfish and encourage them to move on.
What's The Best Way To Get Rid Of Silverfish?
If you have a silverfish problem and can't figure out why, call us here at Prosite for total silverfish removal. Our experts can help eliminate your silverfish infestation and ensure it never returns. So give us a call or visit our contact page to get started with your home pest inspection today!