What Are Silverfish and Where Can They Be Found in South Florida?

Although fishing is popular in South Florida and Boca Raton, no one wants to bring home a silverfish. Silverfish aren’t fish at all. They’re insects, and they’re one of the most prevalent pests in South Florida. Silverfish in Florida don’t bite, but they can be a nuisance. Like cockroaches, they feed on crumbs and food. Here’s what to do if you suspect you may be dealing with silverfish:

What Are Silverfish?

These slithery insects don’t fly. They are shaped like a carrot or long, slim teardrop, with a shiny silver body. They have two antennae extending from their heads and three bristles in the rear. Young silverfish don’t yet have the characteristic metallic body. Instead, they’re white or cream-colored.

Silverfish move quickly. They also hide in books and other areas where you store paper, cardboard, or fabric.

Are Silverfish Dangerous?

Silverfish won’t hurt you, your children, or your pets. However, they can damage your property. They’re attracted to starchy foods, which means that they can infest your pantry and get to your flour and sugar.

These insects are often found in the bathrooms. That’s because they are drawn to the cellulose found in your beauty products, such as shaving foams and soaps. They also hide in dark spaces. They might hang out in your bathroom or kitchen cabinets, emerging at night when the lights are out.

Some other items that attract silverfish include:

• Human hair
• Dandruff
• Paper
• Books
• Glue

If you store papers in a file cabinet or on a shelf, you might want to inspect those areas regularly for silverfish. The pests can eat your favorite photos or nibble at the books and important paperwork that you want to keep.

Keeping Silverfish at Bay

You can take measures to prevent these pests from making your home their favorite environment. First of all, keep your house clean. Just like cockroaches, silverfish will find food residue.

Vacuum your floors and wipe down your countertops. Keep crumbs out of your cabinets and pantry. You should also ensure that you seal the foods that you store in your pantry. Clean your closets regularly too. Silverfish can snack on your clothes and ruin them.

Keep silverfish from invading your paper goods by tossing anything out that you don’t need. Don’t keep stacks of old newspapers or magazines around. Store files and photos in sealed plastic tubs.

If you’re cleaning up during or after an existing Florida silverfish infestation and don’t want to throw your books, papers, or clothing away, you can kill the adults and eggs by freezing your items. Put them in sealed plastic bags, and stash them in the freezer.

South Florida and Boca Raton are extremely humid, which makes it an ideal environment for silverfish. Eliminating excess moisture from the interior of your home or business can make it a less than hospitable environment for these pests.

Run your air conditioner regularly, and make sure that it works properly and doesn’t leak. Run a dehumidifier in especially humid weather. You should also inspect your structure for leaks and moisture damage. Depriving these bugs of their moisture sources can prevent them from making their home in yours.

Contact Us For a Consultation

If you suspect or know that you have a silverfish infestation, you can rely on us to treat it for you. Hometown Pest Control is your one-stop solution for pest problems. Silverfish are sneaky and slippery. You might not realize that you have an infestation before it’s too late. Let us inspect your home or business and treat the area so that silverfish don’t return. Once we have eliminated the problem, you can continue to take the steps that we’ve laid out above to prevent the pests from returning.