Silverfish are from another place and time. They were literally some of the first organisms to come out of the ocean.
The name comes from the fact that these creatures are silver in color. The ‘fish’ part is due to the scale-like exoskeleton and almost fluid way of moving. But they are not fish at all, just insects.
Favorite food? Any type of carbohydrate such as old paper, sticky liners, books, etc. They’re eating your stuff and leaving behind partially gnawed pages or photos that can never be restored.
Favorite habitat? Any dark and damp place. Under the sink, in the basement, in a garage or attic in humid climates they offer the perfect living conditions. They eat your stuff, lay eggs on your stuff, and then offer the hatchlings an endless buffet of sustenance, aka your stuff.
It is possible to treat them, but one should go into the fight with reasonable expectations. They will not fall easily! Spraying them directly is easy, but the real effort should be directed towards the ones you can’t see… because they’re the ones that chew in the dark and lay eggs all over the place.
To control Silverfish, you will choose a safe, ‘green’, all natural product that will control Silverfish without causing harm or danger to anything you deem important. Start by spraying any silverfish you see directly. It’s a quick and easy kill that can offer some pleasure, as stopping future damage is a victory in itself!
This is where it gets more complicated: you want to eradicate these pests without harming any of your stuff… Several options are good alone or in combination with others:
• Spray the outside and inside of any container where you have seen silverfish.
• Take strips of paper or paper towels and lightly spray with your favorite all-natural pest control product. After they dry, place them inside the boxes while you pack your things.
• Spray the area adjacent to where you have seen these chewers. Spray under the sink throughout the basement, around and near any attic storage areas.
• Just as you wouldn’t douse old documents, photos, or other valuables with water, so would your favorite all-natural pest control product. Therefore, you should disperse all belongings and either spray around them or place treated paper around and/or between whatever you are storing.
• Anticipate that it will require multiple spray applications – these are worthy opponents.
• If the infestation is severe, you may need to resort to a fogging treatment with a different variety of your favorite all-natural pest control product.
Protect your things and keep your memories intact by controlling the Silverfish that want to destroy them. Using an all-natural pest control product ensures control of Silverfish without harming anything else.