Where Do Silverfish Come From?
Lepisma saccharina or the common silverfish are speedy silver insects with long antennae and a trio of spikes that branch out from their tail. Silverfish are common pests and you often find them in dark, damp spaces inside of houses.
What Do Silverfish Eat
The ending of their scientific name – saccharina – indicates that these fast little insects eat sweet, starchy things. Because silverfish are nocturnal, and they like their environment to be damp, you often find them in dark corners of your kitchen or bathroom, with easy access to water.
Where Do Silverfish Come from?
Generally, silverfish are found in the humus layer of the soil. The humus layer is the very top layer of soil where leaf litter covers the topsoil. This environment is dark and damp with plenty of opportunities for small insects to find starchy snacks and delectable bits of rotting vegetation.
If you have silverfish in your house, they likely came from your yard. Your yard is full of insects that you may notice or not. Silverfish are one of those insects that during dry seasons will roam about looking for places that are dark and moist. Because these are small insects they do not have much problem squeezing through little gaps under the door or crawling through holes in the outer wall where pipes enter the house.
Do You Bring Silverfish Into Your Home?
You can transport silverfish into your home when you bring in potted plants, groceries, used furniture and picture frames, etc. Because silverfish are insects you can also bring in their eggs which will hatch later. A potted plant is an ideal space for silverfish to live. It is moist, and they can hide in the soil and come out at night to feed.
If You Have Silverfish In Your Home – You May Have A Bigger Problem
WARNING: If you see more than just one or 2 random Silverfish, you may have a larger problem. That problem is water – to produce a moist environment that silverfish love you need water and generally quite a bit of it. Moist areas under sinks can be from a pipe with a slow drip. That process leads to mold and mildew and damage to wood. Mold, mildew, and rotting wood are three items that silverfish can turn into food. A small leaky pipe may be all that is needed to attract silverfish to your home.
Pro DIY TIP: Take a few minutes with a flashlight and paper towel to check for wet areas and leaks under your sinks. Use your hand to feel for wet spots but some things that are cold can feel wet but actually be dry – that’s when you dab the are with the paper towel and then assess the paper towel. It will easily reveal wet areas. Then, fix those leaks!!!
Three Way To Get Rid of Silverfish
One of the easier ways to get rid of silverfish is to remove the moisture. Without access to water, even small amounts, cause insects to dehydrate and die. Silverfish are insects and all insects have an open circulation system, which means that their bodily fluid is sloshing around inside them instead of being contained in blood vessels. Fascinating but gross, right?!?! What that means is that to stay hydrated, silverfish must have a moist environment. If you get rid of the moisture, and you should, you get rid of the silverfish.
One way to speed up the “dehydration” process is to use Diatomaceous Earth. A natural powder that basically dries out and tears up the little creeps. Choose a Diatomaceous Earth product here that fits your need. you cant really go wrong – just pick the size that fits your problem.
There is one insecticide available that targets Silverfish. It is highly rated but I have a feeling that people who buy this are probably ignoring the source of the moisture. Feel free to use this as a tool if you have an infestation, but please promise me that you will fix the leak!
Are Silverfish Dangerous?
Not really. Silverfish are not capable of biting humans. They are not known to carry disease. The greatest threat they have is that they may spread germs or bacteria that can make humans sick but that is rare. Silverfish are not dangerous, but they are a warning sign that your home may have too much moisture and be at risk of growing mold and mildew. Please take action to correct the moisture issue!
