How To Kill Silverfish

Silverfish are small, elongated, flat and wingless insects that are silver, gray and blue in color. They got the name silverfish because of their shape and their wriggling movements that resembles that of a fish. Silverfish are considered a pest since they tend to live off books, clothes, wallpapers and food like cereals, flour because of the starch, sugar and protein found from these materials.

Getting to Know and Finding Ways on How to Kill Silverfish

Getting rid and killing silverfish or any pests from that matter is to remove the food source but aside from proper storage of food, one cannot get rid of clothes, books and wallpaper. But there are ways to help prevent and minimize silverfish infestation. First is to learn everything there is to know about silverfish before knowing how to kill silverfish.

Silverfish prefer damp and dark places. They are nocturnal thus elude detection during the day. They like to stay around and in their food source. Female silverfish can lay 50 eggs at a time and deposit these in cracks and crevices and these can hatch in as early as two weeks to 2 months and a female silverfish can lay up to a hundred eggs in her lifetime. More bad news is silverfish can live up to two to eight years.

There are many reasons why one should find ways on how to kill silverfish and damage to properties is one of them. Silverfish can damage books by feeding on the bookbindings, wallpaper because of the starch in them, and bite small holes and causes stains in fabrics, usually cotton, silk and linen. They can also be house insulations and wood shingles where they lay undetected and multiply. When they start crawling off walls and become visible then the homeowner definitely has an infestation problem.

There are ways on how to kill silverfish, both naturally and chemically. The uses of chemical insecticides only affect the adults and will not kill the eggs, making the infestation stay. This may mean hiring the bug exterminator until all the egg hatches making it an expensive endeavour. A natural way on how to kill silverfish is to hunt and squish them. A natural way is to place jars with sticky tape with bait inside like a piece of bread. Silverfish can climb through the jar and not get out.

One way on how to kill silverfish is to eliminate its food source. One cannot get rid of clothes, books, paper but proper storage can be the key in how to kill silverfish. Store clothes off the floor and air and dust books and papers regularly. Get rid of old magazines and papers and if need to be stored, do not store in the basement where silverfish thrives. Silverfish eggs can be eliminated by regular dusting and vacuuming especially behind furniture, bookshelves and nooks and crannies around the house. Since silverfish prefer damp environments, investing in a humidifier can help kill and eliminate silverfish. Keeping the kitchen clean and free of crumbs and food scraps and proper storage of food will help kill and eliminate silverfish.

I’ve found number of sources in the web that contains tips and tricks on how to kill silverfish. One found in Bob Haskin’s Get Rid of Silverfish Book (very recommended book!) teaches natural ways on how to kill silverfish and keeping them at bay without the use of insecticides and other chemicals. It has a success rate and satisfied customer testimonials on how to kill silverfish safely and keeping the infestation at bay and controlling the silverfish problem once and for all.