You turn on the light and see it: A tiny grey insect scrambling across your floor or counter. Maybe you pull a book out of your bookshelf and find one of these little creatures lounging on the sides, snacking on the pages.
So, what are these primitive-looking critters? While silverfish look like millipedes (or something out of the Jurassic era), these tiny pests are nothing more than insects.
Silverfish are small in stature, but they’re still an unsettling sight that can leave you wondering: Do silverfish bite? In this post, we’ll discuss the potential dangers of a silverfish infestation and find out if these little pests have a nasty bite!
Will Silverfish Bite?
These creepy creatures may frighten you when you first see them scurrying around your home. Because of their abnormal appearance, you may be cautious about a silverfish bite.
Despite being a general nuisance, they aren’t a danger. Don’t worry about a silverfish bite because these tiny pests are more scared of you. Even if one got close, they aren’t strong enough to cause any damage to your skin.
Your furry friends won’t have to contend with a silverfish bite either. Unlike other insects that irritate animals, silverfish should steer clear of you and your pets!
While a silverfish bite isn’t a cause for concern, these insects can cause you some discomfort. Silverfish may trigger your allergies, especially if you’re sensitive to their droppings.
What About Home Damage?
Their weak jaws will prevent bites, but silverfish can still cause minor damage to your home. According to the University of California’s integrated pest control program, silverfish will feast on your books, loose paper, or clothing.
You could spot small scrapes on important documents or holes in clothing in your closet. While they do not usually cause significant damage, they may destroy items if an infestation is not swiftly addressed.
Silverfish can also comb through any unsecured foods. They cannot spread diseases, but they could still contaminate your food by crawling inside containers or packages.
What are the Signs of Silverfish Damage?
If you believe you have a silverfish infestation, there are some telltale signs of damage you can see on your belongings.
Do you have small holes or scrapes on book pages or loose papers? These pests can shred through these items, causing the pages to begin to pill and roll up. A silverfish may feast on the classics in your library, ruining the pages and the book’s ending.
Silverfish can even eat old photographs, destroying precious memories. You may spot areas of your pictures impacted by these insects as they eat holes through the image. After the image is damaged, there’s no way to repair the wear.
However, silverfish aren’t satisfied by solely consuming your prized possessions. They can also eat through garments, similar to carpet beetles and clothing moths. If you spot holes in your clothing, look for these tiny creatures within small cracks or in dark and isolated areas.
How to Prevent a Silverfish Infestation
Discouraging these insects from entering your home can effectively keep your possessions safe. Like many pests, it’s easy to make a few changes that will keep them at bay.
Clean Your Home Often
Stray crumbs and uncovered leftovers will attract just about any pest to take up residence in your home, silverfish included. Sweep your floors after cooking or eating in your kitchen and dining room.
Don’t forget to wash your dishes either. While it’s easy to forget about a stray plate or two, leftover food residue may encourage pests like silverfish to crowd around your kitchen in search of a bite.
Silverfish prefer damp environments, so a little standing water in your sink won’t scare them off. You may even spot them around your shower or basement, so clean up regularly damp areas.
Never Leave Food Unsecured
While these tiny pests are generally harmless, they can still disturb your kitchen. Use clips on opened chips and cereal bags to prevent these pests from climbing in. If you have bags of flour or sugar, make sure they are firmly closed, too.
Silverfish shouldn’t make you sick if they interact with your food, but you wouldn’t want to eat anything a bug has already touched. When you’re struggling with pests taking a bite out of your cooking, contact a professional pest control company for help!
Seal up Cracks and Crevices
Silverfish may hide in damp areas, but these pests will also hunker down in tiny crevices inside your home. If you have any gaps on your house’s exterior, the insects could also crawl through these openings.
Repair any damages you see inside or outside. Sealing these gaps will prevent them from coming inside and close areas where they may try to reproduce.
Keep your Clothing Safe
As the seasons change, you may start packing up your seasonal wardrobe in anticipation of the changing weather. Who needs a wool sweater when the temperature starts reaching 80 degrees?
However, take care where you store your clothing. Because silverfish enjoy chewing on clothing fibers, you may spot some new holes when you take your winter wardrobe out of storage.
Always stow your clothing items in safe and secure places. Never put away your threads in damp areas, as this will only encourage the silverfish to nest and eat nearby. If you use containers to keep your clothes up, keep them tightly closed.
Eliminating Current Silverfish Populations
While a silverfish bite isn’t a concern, these pests are still something you won’t want inside. When you have an infestation, you’ll want to get rid of the insects to protect your possessions. Here are a few tips on how to control the silverfish in your home.
Photo by divotomezove on Pixabay
Try using glue traps to keep these pests at bay. Sticky traps work for various insects and can help collect groups of silverfish at one time. If you want to attract a large number of them to the trap, try adding bait.
If you are interested in using bait to catch the silverfish, use materials that will attract them. Leave out paper in areas you have seen the insects or place food on a trap to get them to come near.
Borax mixed with sugar or flour can also help eliminate the pests. While the borax alone won’t lure in the silverfish, adding another food source will encourage them to feed on the powder. The borax will poison the insects and kill them soon after ingestion.
Never place this powder around your food or in areas where your children or pets can get in. If eaten, it could make your little ones or pets sick.
You can also purchase silverfish bait and poison from the store. If you want an easy way to get rid of these pests, try checking out your local garden store or searching an online retailer for the right product.
Do You Still Have Silverfish? Turn to proof.!
These skittish pests can be hard to wipe out. Because they hide in tiny areas, you may have difficulty finding their nesting locations.
It can be frustrating when pests destroy your possessions, especially when you’ve spent your hard-earned cash on new outfits.
You don’t have to keep living with these pests scampering around in your home. With proof., we can find the location of the silverfish and swiftly remove them. Contact us today for a free quote!