Silverfish cause significant damage to the household. What home remedy can you use to get rid of silverfish bugs? Fortunately, there are many ways to repel this pest from your home. Recently, my house got infested with these pests, and I had to take all the required measures to get rid of them.
Silverfish are a nuisance to a household as they destroy the whole furniture, leading to heavy damage. I had learned how to deal with these insects and drive them away from my home. I want to share some home remedies to help you get rid of this pest.
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Are Silverfish dangerous pests?
Silverfish are not dangerous to humans because they do not bite, sting, or carry pathogens. The perception that these pests are dangerous comes from their unusual appearance. Silverfish have metallic coloring and an elongated body with three long, thin tail-like appendages attached to the last body segment.
They are active at night and wreak havoc on books, food, and clothing. While these insects can be a nuisance, silverfish are not harmful to human health and do not transmit diseases.
What attracts Silverfish?
Temperature
Silverfish prefer dark hiding places with temperatures ranging from 70 to 90 degrees. Even at this higher temperature, they could survive and maintain their normal metabolic reactions.
Food
Silverfish like to consume carbohydrates such as flour, cereals, rolled oats, pieces of bread, and starches.
They are also attracted by the furniture and other related things such as cardboard boxes, paper, book bindings, glue, wood shavings, and insulation. Thus, they are abundantly seen around construction sites and new homes. They also consume protein in the form of dried beef and dead insects.
Moisture
Silverfish are moisture sensitive and require high levels of humidity (above 75% humidity) to survive, so they are drawn to humid, damp environments.
Silverfish are frequently found in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, garages, and cabinets, where the humidity is high. They can leave high humidity areas for a short time, but they generally require higher humidity.
Is Silverfish resistant to insecticides?
Silverfish, which have developed resistance to many conventional insecticides, can be extremely difficult to eradicate. Silverfish have a high tolerance for insecticides. This is why they remain in the house even after having pest control.
Why should I Get Rid Of Silverfish?
Silverfish debris may contain allergens that are harmful to some people. You may develop allergies or sensitivities to the molted skins and droppings.
Tropomyosin, a protein found in their molted exoskeletons, can even combine with allergens found in common indoor pests like dust mites. This is known as a recombinant allergen, and it can cause more severe allergic reactions.
How to prevent silverfish infestation?
Seal up Cracks and Crevices
Silverfish bugs frequently enter and exit the home through tiny cracks, crevices, and other openings. If you know where they’re hiding, you can trap them by plastering over the entrance and letting them starve.
If they’re entering your home from the outside through a hole, sealing that entrance will also keep other pests out.
Fix Leaky Pipes
Sealing any leaking pipes and ensuring the bathroom is well ventilated should make them feel appropriately unwelcome. If not, the humidity increases, which attracts the Silverfish.
Remove Food Sources from the kitchen
This is especially important immediately following a meal. Food attracts the Silverfish, which might eventually lead to an infestation. Use a vacuum to collect silverfish eggs and prevent them from reproducing and multiplying.
Place sticky traps
Use sticky traps and ease up your work. The Silverfish can crawl and get stuck on to one of these. It is an efficient way to catch them when only a few Silverfish are at your home.
Use dehumidifier
Silverfish thrive in moist, humid environments, so your next move will eliminate their preferred environment. Investing in a good dehumidifier helps to get rid of them efficiently.
Use Boric acid
Boric acid is known to starve silverfish to death. You need to identify where the infestation has occurred and apply boric acid to those areas. When these pests eat it, they return to their colony and die. Be aware if you have any pets or children in your home.
In that case, prepare a diluted mixture of boric acid and water and spray it only on the infested areas. Boric acid will not only destroy the silverfishes, but it will also help to kill their eggs, preventing further infestation. You can also use boric acid in combination with pyrethrin.
What home remedy can you use to get rid of Silverfish bugs?
Cedar shavings
Cedar shavings repel the Silverfish effectively. Place some shavings on the infested areas to get rid of Silverfish. Alternatively, you can also use it in a diffuser or a spray bottle with water and cedar oil. They despise the strong-smelling pheromones found in cedar.
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves aroma makes it an effective way to get rid of Silverfish bugs in certain areas. Crush the bay leaves into small pieces or a powder, then scatter them along the paths they use. Silverfishmight does not tolerate the smell, and they get away.
Diatomaceous Earth
Sprinkle some Diatomaceous Earth in the places where you find any infestation, places along baseboards, beneath the bathtub, wallpaper, crevices, and cracks of cabinets, in your sink and gutter, etc.
Do this before you go to bed. The following day, vacuum and clean the places where you sprinkled diatomaceous earth. Discard the dead Silverfish if found. Make sure not to inhale as it has harmful effects on your lungs.
Citrus Peels
Citrus fruits are a fantastic and effective home remedy for Silverfish. Citrus fruits repel these nocturnal pests. To keep them at bay, use orange and lemon peels. Keep the fruit peels in the areas you suspect are infested to drive the pests away from your home. You must remember to replace the fruit peels after a certain period.
Alternatively, you can make a mixture by combining lemon juice and water, pouring the mixture into a spray bottle, shaking it thoroughly, and spraying it aggressively on the infested areas.
Essential Oils
Essential oils that repel Silverfish are tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and lavender oil, which have a strong aroma that repels Silverfish. Because of their concentrated odor, most essential oils have insect-repelling properties.
Silverfish cannot tolerate the odor and get away from your home. Tea tree, cinnamon, and eucalyptus essential oils are effective silverfish repellents.
cucumber peelings
Cucumber peelings are an excellent way to get rid of Silverfish. They function similarly to cedar shavings and cinnamon. These aid in preventing these insects from entering your home and making it their home. These pests despise the cucumber smell and will not tolerate it.
Peel the cucumber and place the peels in the areas where they are most likely to enter your home. Alternatively, you can place these peels in common areas such as the kitchen cabinets, basement, and bathroom. Remember to replace the peels until you have eliminated the silverfish infestation.
Cinnamon sticks and Powder
Cinnamon is well-known for its mild and pleasant aroma. Fortunately, these problematic little pests cannot tolerate their odor, which keeps them at bay. One approach is to place cinnamon sticks in infested areas such as the study room, bathroom, kitchen cabinets, drawers, etc.
You could also make cinnamon sachets and place them in these locations. These pests will leave you and your house alone once they detect the presence of cinnamon.
