How To Control Silverfish

silverfish

Adult Silverfish

Maybe you find a silverfish trapped in the sink or bath? Maybe you see a silverfish run from under an old pair of shoes in your wardrobe? Some may just shrug their shoulders. Others know that this could mean big trouble…. because where there is one silverfish there will be others….. and where there are silverfish there could be damage to clothing and more!

Many struggle to get rid of silverfish when they take up residence, but if you understand a bit about silverfish behaviour and use the correct silverfish control products, there is no reason you cannot get rid of these insects.

Silverfish Identification

Silverfish

What do they look like

  • Silverfish are primitive, wingless insects (so they have six legs). Their tapered body and fast wriggling movement, along with their silvery scales gives them some “fish-like” features.
  • Silverfish eggs are whitish and oval-shaped, about 0.8 mm long. They will often be found in groups of up to 60 eggs in cracks and crevices.
  • Young silverfish look very similar to the adult, except they are smaller and whiter in colour.
  • Adult silverfish can be up to 3 cm long. If you find a large silverfish, the chances are they have been laying eggs for a long time and you could have a big problem.

Back to Silverfish Menu

Key Silverfish Facts

silverfish on books
Silverfish like paper and cardboard to feed on
  • Silverfish live in moist areas, with a high humidity. In buildings they are commonly found in roof voids, sub-floors, bathrooms and laundries. They are commonly found in stored cardboard boxes.
  • Silverfish are nocturnal, running away from light and vibrations – so they like dark, undisturbed areas.
  • Silverfish have a strong preference for materials containing complex sugars such as starch. Complex sugars are found in many materials including paper, glue, carpet and clothing. Silverfish will also eat other plant and animal materials such as cotton and leather.
  • Silverfish can cause significant damage to clothing as well as spoil food. However, it is their damage to books, photos and documents that is often irreplaceable.
  • Adult silverfish can live for 2-8 years, getting progressively bigger. In that time they can lay a lot of eggs… so a large silverfish may mean you have a big problem.
  • Silverfish don’t come up drains, they fall into basins and baths and are unable to climb out.

Back to Silverfish Menu

Signs of a Silverfish Infestation

Silverfish damage to paper
Severe silverfish damage to paper envelope

Other than seeing silverfish, holes in clothing, chewed areas on boxes and damage to pages of books could also indicate a silverfish infestation. Sometimes the damage is accompanied by a yellow stain. However, there are a range of pests that eat clothes.

Top 10 hiding places for silverfish
  1. Roof voids – are dark, with warm protection provided by the insulation. Fill this environment with lots of cardboard boxes and this is a ready made silverfish paradise
  2. Sub-floors – can be dark, warm and humid due to poor ventilation and often poor drainage. Like the roof void, stored goods in cardboard boxes make this a silverfish hotspot
  3. Wall cavities – are dark and undisturbed places that can make DIY pest control difficult
  4. Kitchens – provide moist, warm conditions and plenty of food.
  5. Bathrooms – are warm, damp environments created by baths and showers
  6. Spare rooms/home offices – are often spaces with lots of stored paper and boxes
  7. Wardrobes – are a favorite for silverfish as they enjoy eating tasty fabrics such as cotton and linen, clothes and sheets
  8. Drawers – often contain clothes, papers and books that silverfish like to eat
  9. Garages – often warm and moist with poor ventilation. They are also a typical space for storing boxes that can go undisturbed for long periods of time
  10. Sheds – are another common location for storage boxes, where silverfish can live and thrive undisturbed

Main Pest Season

There is no real pest season for silverfish in Australia as they live indoors. Certainly warmer weather allows them to breed more quickly, but it is the humidity that is critical for their survival. They need a relative humidity of between 75% and 95%, which generally only occurs in Summer in cooler climates (year round in the tropics) or in buildings where there is dampness or a moisture issue.

Back to Silverfish Menu

Silverfish Prevention Tips

Documents stored in cardboard boxes
Avoid storing documents in cardboard boxes – sealed plastic boxes are better
  • As silverfish like moist / high humidity environments, reducing humidity in susceptible areas is the key to prevent a silverfish problem; use de-humidifiers, air-conditioning and fans in bathrooms, kitchens, laundries, roof voids, sub-floors and any other damp areas.
  • Try and find out if there is a reason for the moisture / high humidity and fix it. (Poor drainage under the house, leaking roof, leaking taps, tumble dryer not vented to the outside are common problems).
  • It is impossible to remove all food sources (clothes, paper and books), but you can make it harder for them to access them. Keep these items off the floor and stored in sealed containers if possible.
  • Maintain a strict hygiene regime. Not only vacuuming thoroughly, including in all those dark corners, but cleaning up any spilt food and storing opened food in sealed containers. Make sure the contents of the vacuum bag are placed in a sealed bag and put in the bin after each use.
  • Use caulking agents to fill any gaps in walls and skirting boards.
  • Carefully check any cardboard boxes you may bring into the house to avoid re-infestation.

Back to Silverfish Menu

Silverfish Control Tips

PestXpert Pro Fogger
PestXpert Pro-Fogger
  • Prior to any silverfish treatment a Spring clean is required;
  • Ideally throw out any cardboard boxes used for storage and replace with sealed plastic containers. If you must keep cardboard boxes they should be stored off the ground and treated (but this won’t guarantee re-infestation).
  • Carry out a thorough vacuum of rooms (especially the room edges and under furniture) and cupboards.
  • Remove any clothes and belongings from areas to be treated and check for silverfish.
  • If the clothes and belongings are not susceptible to heat, place in a black plastic bag, seal and leave in the sun for 1-2 hours. The heat will kill any silverfish and eggs on the clothes.
  • Use a total release aerosol (fogger or “bomb) in rooms of high infestation.
  • Use a insecticide spray (aerosol or ready to use pump pack) under furniture, around the perimeter of rooms and in all shelves and drawers of cupboards.
  • Potential hot spots in roof voids and sub-floors should also be sprayed.

Back to Silverfish Menu

PestXpert Products For Silverfish

  • PestXpert Pro-Fogger total release aerosol provides the first stage of a silverfish treatment. Release one aerosol per room to provide complete coverage. The stability stand ensures the aerosol does not fall over in use. Ensure all safety instructions are read before use.
  • To hit any dead spots (such as under furniture), use Pro-Spray crawling aerosol or Pro-Spray Indoor and Outdoor to finish the interior treatment.
  • Pro-Spray Indoor and Outdoor can also be used to treat any cupboards or drawers.
  • Silverfish hotspots in the roof void and sub-floor can be treated with Pro-Spray Indoor and Outdoor or Pro-Spray Crawling aerosol.

Back to Silverfish Menu

FAQs about Silverfish

Silverfish eat a wide range of foods, but prefer materials that contain complex sugars, such as starch. As such, they prefer paper and cereals, but will also eat fabrics such as cotton. They will occasionally eat animal fibres such as wool and leather.

No silverfish are not harmful – they don’t carry diseases and they aren’t poisonous. However, they can damage a range of fabrics, paper and food stuffs.

No, silverfish don’t bite.

Back to Silverfish Menu

PestXpert Blog

For the dedicated PestXperts…

The PestXpert Blog gets updated regularly with articles on pests, products and tricks of the trade.
Take your pest control knowledge to the next level and say goodbye to pest problems.

  • Coastal brown ants taking bait granule back to nest
    How do Ant Baits work?

    It is important for those carrying out DIY pest control to know how ant baits work, so they can choose the correct ant bait for their particular situation. Ant baits – Basic Information What goes into an ant bait? Ant…

  • big headed ant or coastal brown ant
    Types of Brown Ants in the House and Yard

    It’s a weird thing… generally speaking, in Australia, brown ants seem to be more of a pest outside the home than inside the home, whereas black ants tend to be more of a pest inside the home. Let’s have a…

  • Tyrant ant
    Types of Black Ants in the House and Yard

    Finding black ants in the house is a pretty common problem. However, getting rid of the ants isn’t always that straight forward. To get control you need to be able to identify the ant species and know a bit about…

  • green head ant
    Green ants – Green head ant or Green Tree ant?

    There are two “green ants” in Australia – the green head ant and green tree ant. If you want to know the difference and how to get rid of them. Check out our blog…

  • coastal brown ants digging up dirt under pavers
    How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Pavers

    Ants digging up the dirt in and around pavers can make a real mess of paths and driveways. If left untreated they can undermine the pavers, creating an uneven surface that can be dangerous and expensive to fix. Far better…

  • Green head ant nest
    How to Get Rid of Ants in the Lawn

    Ants and their nests in the lawn can be unsightly, annoying and sometimes painful! Learn the techniques to help you get rid of ants in the lawn get lasting protection…