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Maybe you've spotted them just before turning on the lights, scurrying into their hiding places in your bathroom or kitchen. A silverfish infestation may take awhile to get out of control, but you don't want it to go that far. Silverfish, also known as silver moths, are a powerful pest that will destroy things in your home like tapestries, books and even textiles. To learn how to get rid of silverfish, please browse through the helpful information on this page.
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Pest control expert Pete LaQuaglia explains in this video ways to kill silverfish. LaQuaglia says the first order of business is to find the pesky in ... read morePest control expert Pete LaQuaglia explains in this video ways to kill silverfish. LaQuaglia says the first order of business is to find the pesky insects. He says one of the most common areas for silverfish to hide: in-between the shingles on your roof. They can also live in sheet rock or along baseboards. Treating those areas with pesticides can help alleviate a silverfish infestation.
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Step 1: Light and Temperature Control
(Creative Commons photo by Mrjingo)- Getting rid of household pets generally requires that you reduce or eliminate the conditions that support them. Silverfish love humidity, which his why they tend to dwell in basements and bathrooms. You can cut down on humidity by:
- Installing an exhaust fan in your bathroom
- Running a dehumidifier
- Use a desiccant to dry out rooms that are prone to moisture
- Keep areas likely to become infested well lit
- Consider keeping the room temperature under 60 degrees or above 80 degrees
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Step 2: Eliminating Food Sources
- Silverfish like to eat starches and molds, and thrive on things like books, wallpaper, wallpaper paste, cotton and more. They can also live for up to one year without food, so how can you beat them?
- Keep your house clean
- Store magazines, books and papers in airtight containers.
- Eliminate mold sources.
- Keep laundry off of the floor.
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Step 3: Poisons
- There are a number of different poisons you can use to eliminate silverfish. Apply poisons in places household pets and children won't be able to access them. Use them behind appliances, furniture and in attic crawl spaces. Popular poison choices include:
- Diatomaceous earth
- Borax
- Insecticidal dusts
- Silverfish Paks
- You may also be able to use sticky cockroach traps to draw them in and trap them, but this alone will not eliminate your problem.
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Conclusion
- You may not even know you have a silverfish infestation, so be on the lookout in dark, dank places. Once you've discovered an infestation, it's best to get to the source and eliminate it as soon as possible. Control the environment in which silverfish thrive by cutting back on moisture with a dehumidifier or desiccant. Because silverfish thrive on starches and molds, you will want to eliminate food sources by keeping areas clean. You may need to resort to the use of poisons if the infestation is out of control. Research poisons to determine which one is the best for your circumstances.
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