It’s unlikely that anyone would like being around harmful insects. Cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, flies or mosquitoes cause a lot of problems and troubles for a person, depriving him of proper sleep and rest. This list also includes silverfish, an unpleasant looking insect that usually lives in damp places and can cause damage to food, clothing, bedding, and paper products. How to get rid of silverfish in an apartment and what needs to be done to prevent the appearance of insects in your home; you will learn the answers to these and other questions from this article.
Common silverfish
The common silverfish is a fairly common insect belonging to the bristletail order. It can be recognized by its elongated body, tapering towards the end, the length of which reaches up to 2 cm and is covered with scales. On the body there are 3 pairs of limbs ending in small claws, which allows insects to quickly move along rough surfaces.
On the head there are faceted eyes capable of perceiving ultraviolet light, chewing mouthparts and a pair of long mustaches. At the back of the body there are three thread-like outgrowths. Most often, an individual of this species has a gray-silver color; sometimes yellow, green and even white silverfish are found.
Basic methods for getting rid of silverfish in the bathroom
Copper sulfate
The trash and all items must be removed from the bathroom. This will allow you to access every corner and hard-to-reach places. When carrying out general cleaning, every object in the room should be treated. To do this, you will need a cleaning agent containing chlorine.
All areas and items must be allowed to dry. After this, it is worth treating them with a solution of copper sulfate. Then you need to dry everything well. Using a heat fan or fireplace can dry every corner. This applies to areas located under the bathtub. All secluded places must be treated.
In addition, the use of aerosol preparations is effective. They should spray the room and leave it closed for about an hour. After this procedure, you should ventilate the bathroom. It is important not to inhale toxic fumes. It is noteworthy that it is better to avoid using a weak aerosol solution with a plant base. After all, it has a slow and practically ineffective effect. To achieve optimal results, the procedure must be repeated after a few days.
You can make your own solution. For this you will need powdered boric acid and chalk. The required proportions are 1:4. The resulting mixture should be sprinkled on the suspected areas where insects are concentrated. A week later, you need to clean the bathroom of powder and dead pests. After this, you should carry out the treatment again and wait a week. Then it will be possible to get rid of new pests that hatched from eggs.
Home thermobia
In total, there are about 600 species of silverfish in the world, and only 10 of them can be found in the vastness of our country. Common silverfish and domestic thermobia often penetrate into apartments (photo below).
Common silverfish and house thermobia
On a note!
House thermobia is a smaller insect, the length of which does not exceed 12 mm. A characteristic feature of an individual of this species is the brown color of the body.
Where do insects live?
Silverfish can be found in places where favorable conditions have been created for their habitat and reproduction. Most often these are the kitchen and bathroom, namely:
- near water and sewer pipes;
- near sinks and bathtubs;
- in bulk products in the kitchen;
- in places where garbage is stored;
- near the refrigerator;
- near the sink in the kitchen.
Favorable living conditions are created by temperature (20 degrees or more), humidity (more than 70%) and nearby food sources. However, do not think that nasty tenants live only in the kitchen and bathroom. If all conditions are met, they can easily live on the balcony or in the room.
The main reasons for the spread of the pest are the appearance of contaminated things or products in the house, unsanitary conditions, and the presence of individuals in neighboring apartments, from where they can enter your home through the ventilation.
Damage caused
Many people perceive silverfish as creatures that accidentally found their way into an apartment, completely unaware of how they are harmful to humans. Despite the fact that insects are not carriers of dangerous diseases, they can cause serious harm to the inhabitants of the home.
Silverfish are active in the dark, leaving their shelters and going in search of food. The insect's diet includes flour and sugar (which is why the pest is called the sugar silverfish), as well as starch and bone glue. Unpleasant-looking individuals can even satisfy their hunger with fabric made from natural fibers, books, magazines and newspapers. This love for paper products is explained by the presence of organic substances in book binding glue. Therefore, the presence of insects in the apartment, which are highly fertile, is fraught with damage to both food and things.
Common silverfish
On a note!
Sugar silverfish can go without food for several months, which complicates the process of fighting it.
Danger to humans
There is no direct threat from silverfish to humans, since they do not bite and do not carry pathogens of various diseases. But silverfish can cause other damage if there are quite a lot of them.
When there are a lot of them, you can expect the following actions from silverfish:
- These insects are considered the main enemies of archives and libraries . Silverfish produce a special enzyme that converts paper into nutrients. These pests can ruin the remains of wallpaper, various books or documents, which leads to the loss of necessary information.
- Numerous insects . Some females are capable of laying up to 200 eggs, and after a couple of weeks the same number again. When young individuals grow up, they will be able to lay the same number of eggs as their parents. As a rule, when there is a concentration of various insects in a home, this leads to panic and discomfort. In this case, it is better to forget about normal living conditions.
- Lots of waste . One can only imagine how much waste entire colonies of silverfish leave behind. In addition, their feces can easily end up in food, which is completely undesirable, and who would want to eat such products.
- The omnivorous nature of these insects . Silverfish can eat anything. They will eat wallpaper, even if it has glue, not to mention products made from linen, cotton or viscose.
Therefore, it is unlikely that any of the owners will desire such a neighborhood. If pests are found, then you need to immediately begin to destroy them.
What to do
The question of how to get rid of silverfish in the bathroom and toilet arises for everyone who suddenly witnessed an unexpected meeting with an uninvited guest. One of the main reasons for this is a violation of the indoor microclimate. Therefore, the first thing to do in this situation is to identify and eliminate the source of dampness in the apartment. They may be leaking plumbing fixtures, as well as insufficient ventilation of the room.
Fighting silverfish in an apartment also means depriving insects of the opportunity to find food and also reproduce.
- It is necessary to carry out cleaning by placing food in hermetically sealed containers, and paper and fabric products in plastic bags or tightly closed cabinets.
- To deprive insects of cozy places to lay eggs, all cracks and cracks should be covered.
- It is also necessary to get rid of waste paper, which especially attracts the attention of insects.
Reasons for appearing in the apartment
Before you understand how to deal with unwanted insects, you need to understand why they might appear in a living space.
- The reason for the appearance of insects may be the comfortable conditions for them in your apartment. This is high humidity, darkness and heat. The bathroom fits the description perfectly; owners often notice unpleasant neighbors there.
- Often insects enter the home from outside. They can come from neighbors through pipes, or crawl in from the street through an open window. However, they will reproduce and live only if they find suitable conditions for themselves.
- You can easily bring insects with you. Thanks to their small size, they fit safely into bags, packages, pockets, etc.
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Fighting methods
The fact that silverfish have appeared in the apartment can be indicated by small holes in clothing or a book, as well as insect excrement in the form of small black lumps. If silverfish are found in an apartment, the following control methods should be taken.
Chemicals
Chemical pest control
The fastest way to remove silverfish is to use chemicals that contain the following components:
- Chlorpyrifos is a contact insecticide, based on which many sprays and powders are produced. An example of this is the following brands of drugs: Fumitox, Zindan, Get, Raptor, Baygon.
- Pyrethrin is a contact-intestinal insecticide that is part of various aerosols and emulsions. These tools include Fly Killer, Varan, Triple Strike, Neo, Get or Tetrix.
- Diazinon is an insecticide used in the production of gels, emulsions, traps and powders.
Traps
Insect traps
Silverfish traps are another way to deal with uninvited guests. The device can be purchased at a hardware store or made independently.
Jar trap
If there is a silverfish in the house, you can catch it using a glass jar. The outer surface of the container is covered with paper or wrapped with insulating tape. The silverfish’s favorite delicacy is placed inside the container, which can be a piece of sugar, apple or starch. An insect attracted by the smell of the bait will definitely want to treat itself to it. The rough surface of electrical tape or paper will help with this. But the pest will no longer be able to get back out along the smooth inner wall of the jar.
Newspaper trap
A newspaper trap for silverfish is no less effective. Just roll it up and secure the ends with rubber bands. A roll generously moistened with water is placed in the place where insects appear and wait for the silverfish to use it as their shelter. After which the trap along with the “prey” should be disposed of.
Sticky trap
Many craftsmen use sticky tape to catch silverfish by placing it on a dense surface. Bait is placed in the middle of the structure. Such devices are effective for catching not only insects, but even rodents.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for silverfish in an apartment
Destruction of silverfish in an apartment using folk remedies is the safest way to combat insects:
- Oils. Treatment against silverfish with a solution mixed with lavender or citrus oil will be effective. It is enough to periodically wash the surfaces in the bathroom and toilet with this mixture, and very soon there will be no insects there.
- Citrus zest. You can also fight silverfish with the help of zest, grating it and spreading it in places where the pests are supposed to be.
- Spices and herbs are an equally effective remedy for silverfish in an apartment or house. Pests don't like the aroma of spices. Insects will not live in a room where there is the smell of ground pepper, cinnamon or bay leaves. Representatives of bristletails are also afraid of the aroma of herbs such as sage, mint or tansy.
- Cold. Low temperatures are destructive for adults and silverfish larvae. Therefore, to get rid of pests, it is enough to “freeze” the room by first wrapping the heating radiators.
Preventive actions
To prevent an insect infestation, you just need to think about it in advance and take all precautions. The main thing is to create unfavorable conditions for the existence of such pests. For example:
- Take measures to reduce the level of humidity in the house or apartment. This factor will help protect your home from silverfish, as well as from other insects and mold. You can really reduce the humidity in your home by using dehumidifiers or simply drying some areas with a hairdryer.
- Take steps to thoroughly clean up excess food after eating. Creating acceptable sanitary conditions in the home is the main condition for creating unacceptable conditions for the life of insects. Cardboard boxes should be stored on the top shelves so that they do not absorb moisture, which is a breeding ground for silverfish.
- Take all measures to ensure that all cracks throughout the apartment are sealed. This will prevent insects from entering your home and will also prevent them from using cracks as shelters.
Following simple rules will protect your apartment from insect invasion, both food and belongings. The main rule is to maintain order and cleanliness in your home. This rule is relevant in relation to the fight not only with silverfish, but also with other insects and parasites. Only this approach will allow you to feel all the comfort of a person living in a home.
about silverfish
