Lately, you've started noticing holes in the curtains and other fabric and seeing little silver-colored insects that move in a strange manner, wiggling side to side like a fish. Well, the bad news is your house has a silverfish infestation. The good news is that they're relatively harmless, and the right people can clear them out of your home.
Silverfish are small insects ranging between 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. They have a body shaped like a fish and a metallic silvery appearance that reminds you of fish scales. These insects are also a subspecies of "bristletails." Silverfish need a high-humidity environment to stay alive, so if you see them inside your home, you should start looking for a plumbing leak.
Let's look at how to spot signs of a silverfish infestation, how to get rid of silverfish, and, if DIY eviction efforts fail, how to find a reliable pest control service in Mooresville.
Signs of a Silverfish Problem in Your House
Silverfish are nocturnal and can run amazingly fast, making identifying them difficult. Watch for the following signs of silverfish in your house:
- Silverfish droppings, which look a lot like small peppercorns
- Transparent molted skins silverfish shed as they grow
- Holes chewed through wallpaper, fabrics, and cardboard
- Seeing silverfish themselves
Spotting the silverfish infestation in your Mooresville home early and acting to control the problem fast is your best bet at taking care of the problem on your own.
The Damage Silverfish Can Do in Your Home
Silverfish in Mooresville won't bite you or expose you to infectious diseases. They are nuisance pests but present a nuisance you don't want to share your life with. Silverfish will chew through paper, fabrics, and cardboard. People with weaker immune systems might develop allergic reactions around silverfish feces or their shed skins.
Why and How Silverfish Invade Homes
Silverfish are attracted to your house when searching for easier access to food and better habitat. In nature, silverfish live under rocks and logs in a moist environment protected from predators. They're looking to simulate those conditions in your house and will need easy access to moisture (often a leaking plumbing pipe) and dark, secluded space to hide (underneath the sink or behind kitchen cabinets). Silverfish need starchy foods to survive and will head straight for your sugar and grain supplies or papers and fabrics.
Since you're not likely to be able to remove all starchy foods, papers, and fabrics from your house, let's look at what you can do to stop silverfish from wanting to stay in your Mooresville home:
- Keep old books and magazines in sealed containers.
- Store starchy food like oats and other grains in sealed containers.
- Check your house for leaking plumbing pipes and get them fixed to remove moisture-rich places for silverfish.
- Seal the outside walls and foundation of the house.
Most of the time, silverfish prevention and some common sense pest control measures will do the trick and keep silverfish out of your house.
The Best Way to Get Rid of a Silverfish Infestation in Your Home
If prevention didn't work and you're starting to spot silverfish darting in the dark corners of your house, it's time to get a professional on the job.
At Lake Norman Home Services, we've been helping Mooresville residents deal with silverfish, cockroaches, and a million other pests trying to take over their homes for over 30 years.
Our well-trained technicians will evaluate the extent of the silverfish infestation, clear silverfish and silverfish eggs out of your home, and advise you on an effective strategy to prevent a re-infestation.
If you're fighting a losing battle against silverfish, give us a call today and learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Mooresville.