Dealing with Silverfish
As far as pests go, silverfish fall into the basically harmless category. They don’t bite, don’t carry diseases, and don’t even do much in the way of damage to personal property. They don’t even reproduce at a very high rate, much lower than most pests, and that includes mice and rate. In fact there are really only two big strikes against silverfish. The first is that they are damned creepy looking (they LOOK like they could bite, carry diseases, or take over a planet) and they can do damage to personal property in the form of books, paper, and art supplies.So silverfish are not exactly on our list of pests we most want to get rid of, but we do understand how they could be detrimental to a household. Here are some measures that a pest control company following the integrated pest management philosophy might try in order to rid a building of most of its silverfish.
- Dusts. Boric acid and silica gel dusts can be used to downsize silverfish populations. These dusts are fatal to the pest, but are generally not harmful to non-insects. The dust should be applied in cracks in the areas where silverfish live, usually in the storage area of buildings (closets, attics, garages). Baseboards can also be dusted, and cracks ban be caulked to keep the insects from getting out of their hiding spots to find food.
- Humidity control. Silverfish like humid environments, so a good way to eliminate them is to control the humidity in your house. Dehumidifiers will accomplish the task, as will applying sealer around windows and doors. Bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas where steam accumulates should have doors and windows left open to decrease their humidity.
- Cleaning. As with so many pests, silverfish are best combated by keeping a house that is clean and free of possible food stuffs. For silverfish in particular, this means keeping a close eye on the bathroom, where humidity is most likely to accumulate. Make sure that there is no leftover toothpaste, mouthwash, and so on lying around on toiletries, as the insects may prove to be attracted to this potential food source.
Plaster is also said to catch silverfish, when sprinkled on a wet cotton cloth, while sal ammoniac solutions are purported to drive away any silverfish in an area within a days’ time.
Again, the best pest control management is one of prevention, and that means attention to detail and patience. Silverfish in particular prefer cracks in areas that are humid, and by caulking and decreasing the amount of moisture in the air the insect population can be kept low. As always, if there is a real problem with a total infestation, a pest control company which specializes in integrated pest management is the best solution.
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