Silverfish Pest Control Southwest

SILVERFISH USED TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM YEARS AGO BUT THEY CAN STILL BE FOUND IN EXCESSIVELY DAMP PROPERTIES. WHILE THEY LOOK FAIRLY HARMLESS, SILVERFISH CAN ACTUALLY DO A GOOD DEAL OF DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME AND YOUR PROPERTY IF THINGS GET OUT OF HAND.

Silverfish are small, wingless insects that you will often notice on floors that are damp. They were certainly more common in the days before central heating and seem to affect older properties rather than newer ones which have better insulation and less problems with humidity and damp.

They’re characterised by their silvery colour and look more like tiny fish with antennae. about the size of a thumbnail, they’re also known as carpet sharks and they can survive anywhere but particularly love areas where there are high levels of damp.

SPOTTING SILVERFISH INFESTATIONS

You generally find silverfish in areas like kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms. If you have a cellar, you might be more likely to find them there too. If there’s a problem with rising damp in your home or business, you can find them almost anywhere, including the bedroom.

Silverfish love to feed on cellulose, starch and sugar. You may notice them when you switch on the light at night and see them slithering across the floor. You might also notice some damage being done to items such as books and wallpaper which provide a food source. They can also damage areas like the carpet and congregate in areas where there is regular food debris.

DEALING WITH A SILVERFISH PROBLEM

If there are just a few silverfish, it’s doesn’t present too big a problem and you can easily get rid of them by drying out the area and cleaning properly with a good vacuum. If you have damp areas in your home or business, tackling these areas can greatly reduce any chance of an infestation.

Regular vacuuming certainly helps remove eggs and silverfish and denies them a source of sustenance at the same time. Keeping areas like the kitchen clean and not leaving food about, particularly crumbs dropped on the floor makes a difference also.

For businesses, large infestations can certainly be a problem and may well need to be dealt with by a professional team, especially if you are in the catering industry or hospitality where there can be an impact on health and safety.

At All Clear Pest Control we have the experience to deal with a wide range of problems including silverfish. Certainly in older properties, there can be many areas where these insects are likely to gain a foothold and need to be tackled by a team of professionals who know what they’re doing.