Silverfish are a common pest found in areas where humidity is high but they also like cool and damp areas like baseboards, attics, closets, and fixtures in the bathroom. They are light grey and blue in color and can grow up to a 1/2 inch long in size. Often, people see them when they are looking in or moving a cardboard box Inside the home or In the garage. Many may scatter so the key is to keeping them out of the home. Does washing clothes kill silverfish eggs? Yes, washing the clothes at the highest temperature the material allows for is best to kill them.
Let’s take a look below at the details involving silverfish eggs.
What Do Silverfish Eggs Look-like
How do you know if there are silverfish eggs? Well, they are oval and tiny, no more than one mm so it may be difficult to know if you see one. White in color, they often are in a group of 20 and take 20-60 days to hatch. Over time, they turn to yellow.
How You Know There Are Silverfish
There are a few ways to know that there are silverfish in the home.
- Yellow staining on clothes
- Droppings from silverfish in your drawers or wardrobe
- Holes in clothes
- Silverfish dead or alive near closet, wardrobe, or drawers
- Markings that are scratch-like on clothes or fabrics
Will Washing My Clothes Work
Washing clothes is the best way to kill silverfish eggs. You may not know where the silverfish may lay eggs so washing the clothes on the hottest temperature that the clothes will take is important.
How Can I Prevent Them
There are a few ways to prevent silverfish holes in clothes. Properly storing them is key.
- Wash your clothes – washing your clothes with the right detergent is important and kill silverfish eggs on a higher temperature.
- Put the clothes away – putting away the clean clothes is important as silverfish are attracted to body oils, perspiration, and perfume.
- Store the clothes properly – storing the clothes in storage boxes wrapped with nylon is a good idea as silverfish can’t digest nylon. Avoid storage made of paper, cardboard boxes, and plastic. Silverfish will eat paper and cardboard and love the ones with glue.
- Caulking – take a look at the cracks and crevices on the floors, walls, and holes and make sure you seal them so insects can’t find a way in.
- Silverfish Traps – these can be put in your drawers, wardrobe, or laundry basket to catch the pest but also others at the same time.
- Declutter – get rid of the clutter in the home and vacuum regularly. Silverfish thrive in a moisture environment and installing a dehumidifier may be necessary.
- Get rid of paper and books – silverfish feed off paper and books, as well as the glue in books
- Boric acid – this is dangerous to pets and humans so be careful if you use it.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Silverfish
- Diatomaceous earth – this powder dries out the silverfish and causes them to die. This is non-toxic to people and pets but is lethal to pests.
- Citrus sprays – bugs don’t like this smell and this will repel them.
- Spices – bay leaves, whole cloves and sage have smells that silverfish don’t like. Place these spices in a satchel near the silverfish and they won’t come back.
- Moth Balls- have a smell that most pests (and humans) don’t like and this will keep them away.
How Much Does It Cost
It can range from $200-$700 to get rid of silverfish infestation in your home. You can also purchase a home defense kit that ranges from $10-$22. Also, keeping an eye on these insects is important so you can keep them at bay.
Other Recommended Maintenance
While checking for silverfish, there are some areas you can keep an eye on. One of those is knowing what raccoon nests look like. These are abandoned burrows, a den, a place under the porch, or in the attic. Also, they often they will be near wooded areas to hide from predators. They also like water so they can catch their food in the streams or on land.
Another area to look is to make sure you don’t have rats. If you hear sounds in the walls, see droppings, holes in food packages, smudges on the wall, nesting or holes in ductwork, you may have rats in the walls and need to get rid of them.
Lastly, summer time is when the mosquitos are out in full force. Making sure you are using natural mosquito control ideas is key. No reason to get involved with chemicals and other things harmful to the environment. Additionally, the ways to do this are: Get rid of standing water, buy plants that are natural repellents, install fans, invite bats, or use an eco-friendly mosquito control solution.
When Do I Call A Professional
A few silverfish is not a reason to be alarmed, but if you have an infestation, that is a problem. A professional pest control service can take care of the silverfish in your home. Many pest control professionals know where to look for silverfish, as well as help you recognize what may be in your home attracting them. Allow them to come in and help you out so you aren’t taking care of it on your own.
Conclusion
If you move boxes in your garage and notice that there are silverfish that scatter, you may have a problem so start by getting rid of the cardboard and moving the items into bins. Call on a pest control service to get rid of the silverfish if this fix doesn’t work.
Maintenance and regularly inspecting your home are necessary to ensure that silverfish do not infest your home. Call Honor Services to assist you with some pest control recommendations while conducting a thorough pest inspection in Melbourne, FL, and surrounding areas.
