Silverfish control is important for Aiken residents interested in learning how to keep silverfish away and avoid silverfish bites on their belongings. Read on to learn about the most effective silverfish control strategies.
Understanding Silverfish
Silverfish are small teardrop-shaped insects that range in color from a white to a blue-silver color. They have three long bristle-like hairs on the end of their bodies. The silvery color of the silverfish earns them their name, and large infestations of these insects can be quite unsightly to encounter.
Silverfish typically prefer to live in dark, damp areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and attics. Once inside, they move to stored boxes and places full of paper, damp clothing, and other fabrics.
Silverfish don't pose any major health risks to pets or people despite their unsightly and sometimes frightening appearance. You are unlikely to receive a silverfish bite, as this insect prefers to chew on your belongings. Major attractants for silverfish are cereals, books, wallpaper, and anything stored in your home heavy in sugars or carbohydrates. Over time, these pests can create significant destruction in your home.
How To Keep Silverfish Away
The key to getting rid of silverfish is to engage in proactive prevention methods. Following these tips can help deter silverfish from entering your Aiken property in the first place:
- One of the best ways to prevent silverfish from entering your home is to identify and seal up any potential entry points. Seal up gaps and cracks in windows, doors, and your foundation in addition to updating window and door screens and weatherstripping.
- Declutter your house often, making sure to remove any large stacks of papers and cardboard boxes, reducing the number of hiding spots silverfish will have. If you want, you can store all unused clothing, papers, books, and other items in plastic, airtight boxes to prevent these pests from getting into them.
- Addressing moisture issues both indoors and outside on your property can go a long way in helping prevent a silverfish infestation. These insects migrate to damp areas, so be sure to fix all leaks around your property and ensure that your home or business has proper ventilation throughout the building. You can also consider investing in a dehumidifier for the damper areas of your home to be extra certain that no pools of moisture appear.
- Regularly clean out your pantry and store food in plastic, airtight containers to prevent silverfish from infiltrating your cabinets and feeding.
- Reduce any clutter in your yard and move all large areas of stones, rocks, and damp foliage away from the outside walls of your home or business. These are harborage spots where silverfish love to live, so the closer they are to your structure, the more tempted silverfish might be to enter. You may also want to clear out gutters regularly so pools of moisture don't form in them.
Getting Rid of Silverfish For Good
Home remedies for silverfish can only go so far, so the best way to remove silverfish from your house is to invest in professional pest control. Contact Aiken Pest Control for total silverfish control and targeted solutions provided by experts that are guaranteed to rid your home of these unsightly pests.