What Attracts Silverfish?
As pest control experts, we’re often asked about what attracts pests to the home, and in this article we’re focusing on silverfish.
Here we’ll discuss what attracts silverfish, whether you can get rid of them yourself and when to call the professional team at Sun Dry for assistance in controlling them.
What Attracts Silverfish?
Like any pest, there are a few different things that attract silverfish and encourage them to take up residence in your home. Here, we’ll go through some of the things they love most and what you can do to reduce their presence.
Sugar & Starch
Silverfish love sugary foods as well as those with a high starch content. You may think your food is safe inside your pantry, but the truth is, you may just be creating a breeding ground for them.
The problem with silverfish and storing your food in its original packaging in your pantry is that they love cool, damp places. They can also easily chew through packaging and cause your food to spoil, which in turn has the potential to make you and your family sick.
Store your food in air tight containers that can’t be penetrated by silverfish (and other pests for that matter), and they’ll soon discover that they aren’t welcome.
Dust
While silverfish don’t eat dust, they are drawn to the starchy and sugary particles it might contain. For this reason, it’s important to keep your home as dust-free as possible, and clean up after every meal to avoid attracting them.
Warmth & Moisture
Trying to keep your home warm in winter with heaters and reverse-cycle air conditioning. If so, you’ll want to keep an eye out for silverfish and make sure you’re not attracting them.
Like humans, silverfish are drawn to cool places in summer and warm places in winter, especially if those places are slightly damp and even a little dark (due to their nocturnal nature). Unfortunately, keeping your home cool or warm often creates moisture, which is also appealing for silverfish.
To avoid creating an ideal environment for these pests, you might consider buying a dehumidifier, which will remove any excess moisture from your home. It also has the added bonus of improving air quality, so you may even find that there are added health benefits for you and your family.
Clothing & Linen
Another thing that silverfish are drawn to is clothing and linen, as this is where they will often find their food source. By packing your clothing, linen and blankets away in your cupboard in vacuum sealed storage bags (or plastic boxes), these pests are less likely to infiltrate them and cause damage.
Debris & Mulch
If you have a lot of excess debris and mulch lying around outside from your latest round of pruning, this is your sign to get rid of it. Silverfish, and a variety of other pests, are attracted to debris of this kind, and can easily move from their outdoor home to indoors.
Do DIY Treatments Work for Silverfish?
Because silverfish aren’t necessarily harmful to humans, you might be tempted to opt for a DIY treatment rather than a professional service. But in our experience, DIY solutions (of which there are many on the internet) rarely work in eradicating silverfish. In some cases, you may find that it exacerbates the issue.
When to Call Sun Dry
Silverfish might not seem like a huge problem in your home, but they can cause a lot of damage and flare up allergies if left untreated.
If you have a silverfish infestation that needs to be controlled, or simply want to make sure you’re not at risk of them by organising a thorough pest inspection, contact our experts at Sun Dry.
Book your pest control inspection or service for silverfish by getting in touch today.
