What is This Weird Bug In My House? How to Get Rid of Silverfish

If you feel your allergies acting up, it may not actually be the weather. It may be the insects hiding in your home's dark corners.

What?!?

It’s true. If you’ve never heard of silverfish before, keep reading. 

What Are Silverfish?

For starters, silverfish are one of the most common insects in the world. They are also sometimes referred to as bristletails or paper fish. 

However you want to call them, they don’t seem to be talked about enough.

Silverfish thrive on a high-starch diet, such as paper (hence the name ‘paper fish’). Stacks of paper, file cabinets, and even cardboard boxes are like a buffet for these insects. 

Here’s what these icky paper-eaters look like:

Are Silverfish Harmful?

Other than the potential to cause your allergies to flare up, silverfish are not a threat to your health. 

Silverfish occasionally shed their scales, which contain a protein called tropomyosin. This protein can combine with other allergens to sometimes cause reactions.

Other than that, they are primarily focused on causing a bit of damage around your home. 

Harmful or not, you still don’t want to be sharing your personal space with these fishy pests. 

If you think you may have a silverfish problem, contact us here!

How to Spot a Silverfish Infestation

There are a few common signs that could let you know you’ve got silverfish in your home:

• Spotting silverfish 
• Small, black, peppercorn-like droppings in secluded or moist areas
• Yellow stains on books, paper, or even clothing
• Damage to paper, boxes, clothing, or wallpaper

If you see any of these signs, keep an eye out for other indicators of a silverfish infestation. 

Learn more about these pests and possible prevention methods here! 

How to Get Rid of Silverfish

There are a few simple home remedies that can help get rid of silverfish. 

Wet Newspaper: Wet a few pages of newspaper, roll it up, and leave it near an area where you suspect silverfish. After a few days, they will crawl inside the newspaper to make their homes. When caught, burn or throw the newspaper into an outdoor trash can or in an airtight container. 

Cedar Oil: Certain essential oils are natural bug repellents, and silverfish hate cedar oil. Mix several drops of oil into warm water and spray near potential areas of infestation to kill silverfish. 

Bay Leaves: Great for curries and stews but not great for silverfish, dried bay leaves are an excellent natural repellent. Leave dried bay leaves out and let the natural oils keep pests away. However, these will not kill silverfish, only deter them. 

Call The Experts: The above are great immediate remedies while you get on the phone with your pest professional. This is the best way to ensure a quick and complete removal of these unfortunate guests. 

If you think you have a silverfish infestation, contact us today or give us a call at 866.WAYNES1, and we will make sure your pest problems are NO MORE!