Silverfish are insects that commonly feed on materials that contain carbohydrates and starches. They can often be found hiding in books, paper, clothing, carpet and food items such as coffee and sugar. Their feeding behaviour can cause destruction to property, especially to valuable items such as old books, photographs and garments. Silverfish can cause significant damage to items that are rarely used or moved as it allows them ample time for feeding.
Silverfish can access your property through cracks and wall cavities, but it can also be transported into the building through cardboard boxes or books that are brought in. Silverfish eggs are usually deposited in crevices and hatches between two weeks to two months, making their growth in population quite rapid if not halted immediately.
Preventing Silverfish Infestation
Avoiding long-term storage of books, magazines, cardboard products and other items that can be a potential food source for silverfish can stop infestations before they even start. When bringing in second-hand books or furniture, check the item for any lingering silverfish. A thorough examination may be necessary as they can be hiding in between pages or cracks that are not readily visible.
Removing Silverfish from Your Property
Seeing pages and pages of several books with damages that look like scratches or holes across several pages, it could mean that there is an infestation of silverfish in your property. While some homeowners would simply address the problem by getting rid of the damaged items, there could be areas that are overlooked.
If you want an effective method for determining the severity of infestation, locating the nesting areas of these pests and getting rid of them efficiently, technicians from Termex Pest Management can help you get this done safely.
The chemical treatment methods we employ are of high-quality and our team has been trained for safe application of these chemicals. Surface sprays are often used for concentrating on cracks and other entry points of silverfish, and space sprays are applied to get rid of lingering pests that escape contact with sprayed surfaces.
Dust formulations may be an option for areas that could be damaged or cannot be reached by wet sprays, such as cardboard items and books. Due to its residual effect, dusting can kill off silverfish that come in contact with the chemical.