Silverfish have a pretty name but an ugly appetite for the contents of your home or business. These pests are omnivores and will feast on many common items such as food and paper products. You can recognize silverfish by their light-colored bodies with a metallic, scaly appearance. About ½-inch long, they have thin, curling antennae and three rear bristles. They move very quickly and are adept at hiding.

Silverfish love Florida’s humidity and will seek moist areas of your home or business such as the bathroom or basement. They are also nocturnal and may emerge at night into open living areas to forage. They like sugary and starchy food sources, which include a variety of items from cookies to bound documents. They will feed on any type of human food and are often found in the kitchen near water sources and in dark cabinets.

Cloth and paper items, especially if stored in boxes or dark rooms, are particularly vulnerable to silverfish infestations. Silverfish are attracted to the glue in book bindings and can damage books and other bound documents beyond use. They will also eat holes in loose paper. Home and business libraries are vulnerable as they offer both an abundant glue source and secluded hiding spots in bookshelves and cabinets.

Silverfish also like silk, cotton and linen fabrics and are particularly drawn to items that contain other food sources such as stains or starches. They can eat away at and ruin packed clothes or linens. Telltale signs that silverfish have discovered your possessions include holes from their nibbling and yellow stains from their excrement.

Highly visible spaces in your home or business are also vulnerable. Silverfish crave paste and glue and can damage wallpaper with holes and yellow stains. Food and drink residue on table linens make them tasty targets. Silverfish also like rayon and can damage curtains and drapes, even taking up residence in the lining.

By the time you spot evidence of silverfish in your home or business, you almost certainly have an infestation. Infestations take time to develop, and these pests are both stealthy and hardy. They have long lifespans of up to eight years and mate year round. The female can lay up to 20 eggs per day depending on the silverfish species. The eggs are often deposited in crevices throughout the building, including subfloor and attic, making detection difficult.

To rid your home of silverfish, professional treatment is recommended to target the pest and all of its hiding places throughout and around the building. If you suspect a silverfish infestation, call Diligent Services for a free quote on pest control services.