How to deal with silverfish in an apartment: TOP 10 poisons and means why they are harmful to humans

• How to understand that there is a silverfish in the apartment
• TOP 20 best means for destroying silverfish TOP 10 effective folk remedies:
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Silverfish (borer, bristletail) are small insects that in nature process organic matter. But sometimes they penetrate into living spaces, remaining there for a long time. They cannot be called an enemy of humans, because they do not bite, do not carry diseases, and do not cause much damage to things and food (in small populations). But the proximity to such insects is extremely unpleasant and causes a natural desire to destroy them. There are several varieties of the silverfish family, but in our regions the common or sugar ones predominate; thermobia is less common.

Externally, silverfish can be identified by their slightly flat, elongated body, about 1.2-2.0 cm in length, of a silver or dark brown hue. It is covered with chitinous scales. There are two long whiskers on the head, and three long thin threads in the tail. On the sides of the body there are 3 pairs of short, rather thick legs. They move quickly, in jerks, but over short distances, mainly at night and early in the morning, in search of a source of food. During the day they hide in dark, damp places: in the bathroom, toilet, basement. If you notice bristletail in your home, it's time to think about how to eliminate it: effectively and quickly.

What do insects look like and why do they start living in our apartments?

The silverfish is a wingless insect belonging to the Bristletail family. She is particularly nimble. The pest is active at night; when the lights are turned on, it tries to hide as quickly as possible.

Silverfish

The body is oblong, length ranges from 0.8 mm to 1.9 cm, depending on the stage of development. Color varies depending on the variety.

Silver silverfish, also called sugar silverfish, often live in apartments.

The width of the body near the head of the insect is wider than at the base of the tail. There are long whiskers on the body: 2 on the head and 3 on the end of the body. There are many legs along the body, which allows the pest to move quickly.

Insects prefer to settle in warm places with high air humidity.

You can meet them in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, library. They feed not only on food, but also on paper, book bindings, mold, wallpaper paste, old photographs, etc. They spoil food and things, leaving their excrement and scales everywhere.

A large number of such uninvited guests can lead the family archive to paper trash. You can notice traces of their presence by the characteristic perforations on the paper: when they eat it, they leave holes.

It is recommended to respond to the appearance of uninvited guests immediately, without expecting mass spread

Where do silverfish come from in the house, how do they get into the apartment:

• from a travel bag (after visiting a hotel or other public place);
• with newly acquired items that were stored in a warehouse with high humidity;
• with books from the library;
• through ventilation shafts;
• with vegetables stored in the basement;
• through cracks in the wall;
• with building materials;
• through cracks in the floor.

Causes

Arthropods live in dwellings for years and can easily go without food for up to 10-11 months. They get into apartments through the smallest cracks, crevices, and ventilation holes. They are accidentally brought along with old books or things. Arthropods quickly settle in a new place and begin to actively reproduce.

They are capable of completely occupying a home within 2-3 weeks. And then the owners are faced with the acute question of what to do with silverfish, how to get rid of annoying pests.

Despite the fact that silverfish prefer to settle in damp places, they cannot tolerate water and quickly drown even in a drop of liquid.

Recommendations for disinfection in the apartment

It is recommended to react to the appearance of uninvited guests immediately, without expecting mass spread. Both chemicals and folk remedies are suitable for killing insects in a room/apartment.

You need to start processing after following a number of recommendations:

1. It is first recommended to do a wet cleaning of the apartment , thoroughly wash all secluded places using cleaning liquids with the addition of chlorine. Wait until the treated surfaces dry.
2. Remove children and pets from the premises and cover the aquariums with film.
3. Prepare special clothing , a respirator and rubber gloves for your own safety.
4. Pack all products in airtight bags or seal them in jars.
5. Move all objects away from their intended habitats, clear out the corners.
6. Spray the poisonous agent in all corners and surfaces.
7. Close the windows and doors of the room for 1 hour.
8. After time has passed, ventilate.
9. Do not carry out wet cleaning for 1 week, then disinfect again.
10. After waiting a week after re-treatment , wash all surfaces again and place objects in their places.

Read more ► How to quickly remove midges from the kitchen

Means and methods to get rid of silverfish

To combat the pest you need to use different means. When carrying out disinfection, the poisonous liquid must be alternated, since pests get used to its action.

It is preferable to use folk remedies when the number of pests is small, and chemical preparations are recommended to be used when there is a massive accumulation of insects.

With the help of alum

To prepare the solution you will need to boil 100 ml of water. Dissolve 100 g of alum in the resulting liquid. Stir the resulting mixture until smooth.

Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and use to disinfect the room. For complete destruction, treatment should be repeated at least 2-3 times.

Using boric acid

Another fairly effective remedy for quickly getting rid of annoying silverfish is boric acid.
Preparation of the product:

1. Combine boric acid with chalk in a ratio of 1:4.
2. Mix the ingredients until smooth.

Sprinkle the resulting powder generously in all corners and in places where pests are concentrated. After a week, remove the mixture along with the remains of insects.

Then re-pour the powder into all corners of the room, not forgetting the most secluded places. This will help destroy the hatched larvae from the oviposition. After 7 days, completely collect the product and carry out general cleaning using chlorine-based cleaning liquids.

Baking soda, red pepper, tobacco

Spices are effective against silverfish.
To prepare this solution you will need to take 3 g of each component. Pour the mixture into 1 liter of warm water. Stir the solution and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. After the time has passed, strain the liquid and pour it into the sprayer.

Spray an even layer of the solution into suspected pest habitats. Leave for 8 hours. Afterwards, do a wet cleaning and dry the room.

Spices

You can cope with a small accumulation of pests with the help of spices. An effective combination is a mixture of cinnamon and cloves.

The mixture should be sprinkled in all corners, in the bathtub, in cabinets and on shelves. This will help repel insects and force them to leave the room.

On a note! Bay leaves, sage and garlic have a similar effect.

Cedar shavings

The smell of fresh cedar wood has a depressing effect on the pest. By scattering shavings, you can force him to leave his home.

The wood should be changed regularly as it dries, so that the smell is constantly present in the apartment for 2 weeks.

Read more ► Ants at home: how to remove them at home using folk and chemical means forever

How dangerous are silverfish? Do they bite?

Neither one nor the other can cause direct harm to a person - you don’t have to be afraid of their bites. She will never crawl into your ear and chew out your brain. These insects will not even be able to sharpen the ends of your hair. In addition, scientists are confident that these insects do not spread diseases and infections (according to entomologists from the USA). What danger do these insects pose? Do we need to fight them? Here is a list of the main reasons to fight silverfish on your territory:

1. Silverfish are enemies of books, archives and documents. It turns out that they have enzymes in their intestines that convert it into nutrients. So our heroes lean on wallpaper, books and documents. Of course, they do not erase an entire page, but fungi, yellow spots and blackening may appear at the sites of their bites. Therefore, for archives and libraries, silverfish are enemy No. 1.
2. They shit . Insects of these species leave feces immediately behind them everywhere: on tables, in papers, in food. In addition, they can lay eggs (up to 50 eggs) in your flour or on someone's bread. It’s not a fact that you will notice eggs and feces or taste them... but it’s better not to try such disgusting stuff!
3. Silverfish breed very actively . During one clutch, the female lays from 50 to 200 eggs. After 2-4 weeks, small pests hatch from them, and the “mother” can soon give birth again. Therefore, one miserable silverfish is quite capable of giving birth to thousands of “babies”. And this could be the beginning of a full-scale invasion.
4. They are almost omnivorous . These insects look for food everywhere. In closets with clothes, they chew things made of silk, cotton, viscose and linen. Then they crawl onto the wallpaper and sharpen it together with organic glue. And our heroes simply adore human food: flour, pasta, cereals, animal food, mushrooms - everything goes to them for lunch. It’s unlikely that you want to share all this with insects?

Rating of the best remedies for silverfish based on reviews from Internet users

Often, various chemical insecticide solutions are used to quickly eliminate insects. Their effectiveness is confirmed by numerous positive reviews found on the Internet.

"Karbofos"

This poisonous component is designed to quickly destroy a large number of insects that can appear in a person’s home. It has a long shelf life, can be combined with many other types of insecticides, and is affordable.

Karbofos

"Karbofos" has a pungent odor and is not recommended for use in rooms where children and pets are present.

With regular use, insects develop tolerance to its action; you need to alternate it with other components. Aerosol "Karbofos" should be sprayed evenly on the surface and left for 2 days. After time, wash everything off using a cleaning liquid containing chlorine.

"Raptor"

This drug is also effective in combating silverfish. The gel should be spread along cracks, crevices and ventilation hatches.

Treat pieces of cardboard with the product and place them on the floor and in secluded places. After 7 days, repeat the treatment. Do not use the product in rooms where small children and pets are present.

Liquid pyrethrin

Liquid pyrethrin
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This solution is also effective for killing silverfish in residential areas. To do this, spray the liquid in places of mass accumulation and near cracks and crevices in the floor.

To consolidate the effect, it is recommended to repeat disinfection after 7 days. The use of liquid pyrethrin in areas where children and pets are present is also prohibited.

How to poison with mothballs

You can also get rid of the pest using naphthalene . To do this, you need to place the sachets with the product in the suspected habitats.

However, naphthalene has a specific odor, which not only eats into clothes and upholstered furniture, but is also toxic to humans.

"Diatonite"

Diatomaceous earth is a dry mixture of the shells of single-celled organisms combined with siliceous diatoms.

One of the most common means of removing insects is diatomaceous earth.

This is a substance whose structure consists of many small and sharp particles. Silverfish, running through this mixture, die, because the grains dig into their body. The product significantly reduces their numbers.

It is recommended to sprinkle “Diatonite” generously on the floor in an even layer and leave overnight. The procedure should be carried out wearing a mask so that when spraying particles do not enter the respiratory system.

In the morning, sweep away the powder or vacuum it along with the remains of insects. The substance is safe for humans and pets; it does not emit any toxic fumes.

Preventive measures

The last thing owners want is for unpleasant creatures to return, especially if a lot of work has been done to eliminate them. Consider the recommendations for prevention.

• Cleaning the premises. Clean regularly, not forgetting hard-to-reach places. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom.
• Drying and airing. Avoid increasing humidity levels. After taking a shower, leave the bathroom door ajar and do not fold piles of wet laundry. Wipe the surfaces of walls and floors from condensation. Ventilate rooms frequently.
• Compliance with storage rules. Keep flour, sugar, starch in vacuum packages or jars. Printed materials should be stored in a dry place.

It is also important to seal cracks and cracks in a timely manner. By the way, quite often insects leave the home after renovation. This happens because their main “hides” are destroyed. The pests themselves cannot feel safe being in an environment that is changing. You can even consider repairs as one of the ways to remove silverfish. Particular attention should be paid to changing wallpaper. If possible, replace bookcases by going through prints and checking them for insects.

If silverfish are infested in clothes and bookcases

Cabinet doors should be left open periodically to reduce humidity.
In this case, it is recommended to use homemade traps to help catch insects.

You can use any of the following options:

1. Wrap the outside of the glass jar with electrical tape. Place bait in the form of sugar or starch at the bottom. Place the container in a closet, shelf or other place and leave overnight. The pest will smell it and will rise up and fall into the trap, and will not be able to get back out along the internal slippery wall.
2. Roll up the newspaper into a loose roll. Place rubber bands on both sides to prevent the paper from unrolling. Lightly moisten it with water. Lay oilcloth on the cabinet shelf and place a folded roll of newspaper on top. Leave the trap overnight. In the morning, take the roll outside and burn it.

Read more ► How to catch a mole cricket in the garden, what means help

To prevent uninvited guests from re-occupying your closet, you should use repellent seasonings:

• cloves;
• sage;
• laurel leaves;
• cinnamon.

Cabinet doors should be left open periodically to reduce humidity . Clothes should always be dried and ironed. Books should also be shaken periodically and dust removed from them.

These simple recommendations will help you get rid of silverfish in your closet, chest of drawers and bookshelves.

Video: insect under a microscope

Does it make sense to process one apartment? Pros and cons of professional pest control

Living in an apartment building and regularly suffering from an invasion of these not very pleasant-looking insects, it is advisable to seek help from specialized companies offering professional pest control services. Thanks to the use of a number of modern chemical agents aimed at combating various types of domestic insects, professionals will be able to process such large areas as basements and attics with the highest quality and speed. This will get rid of silverfish for the longest possible period of time, as well as prevent the possibility of their reappearance.

specialist conducting professional disinfestation in an apartment

Independent treatment of premises, based on the use of folk and improvised means, will not be able to provide a similar result. However, with its help you can reduce the number of silverfish living in your apartment, thereby stopping the rate of their reproduction. Thanks to the availability of specialized equipment that allows you to treat even hard-to-reach places, such companies can also take care of the individual disinfection of your apartment. The downside of such events may be the need to leave the premises for a certain time after the procedures. And also the need to organize general cleaning of the apartment.

According to data received from specialists involved in the extermination of harmful domestic insects, silverfish cannot tolerate cold, dying at a temperature of -10C. Such treatment can act as an alternative to the use of specialized chemicals, however, it will not provide long-term preventive protection. By taking a comprehensive approach to solving the problem of silverfish in your home, you can get rid of them forever.

The following actions will help you forget about the existence of silverfish, as well as prevent the possibility of them entering your apartment from the outside:

• maintaining cleanliness of the premises,
• reducing humidity levels using air conditioners, dehumidifiers and fans,
• repair of leaking plumbing,
• elimination of deep cracks in the walls of the room, as well as gaps around sewer pipes and water supply risers.

What home methods are ineffective, what to do

The most ineffective method of control is the use of orange peel and fresh cucumbers.

The most ineffective method of control is the use of orange peel and fresh cucumbers.

These components can produce a short-term repellent effect while their smell spreads, so they need to be changed regularly, which is inconvenient.

An ambiguous method of control is also exposure to cold.

At an air temperature of -10 ˚C, adults and their larvae die, but to create these conditions in a room, you need to open the windows and balcony door wide in severe frost and wait for 1-2 hours, which is not acceptable. Such a rash decision can cause deformation of the heating pipes.

It is better to use proven insecticides, traps and folk remedies. It is worth finding a source of high humidity. By eliminating it, you can ensure that the insects themselves leave the room without the use of various drugs.

Life cycle and reproduction

One silverfish cannot harm your home. But a family of ten individuals already poses a serious danger. Insects give rise to extensive offspring, which spread throughout the rooms.

In their development, creatures go through the following stages:

1. Silverfish lay eggs. One clutch consists of 70 eggs, which are painted white. During development, they gradually darken, acquiring a brown color. At the optimal temperature (30 degrees), the eggs develop quickly. The larvae emerge from them after 25 days. At lower temperatures it will take 40 days.
2. Young larvae that emerge from eggs are not covered with scales. They appear much later. During their development, the larvae change their integument up to 5 times.
3. The creature becomes an adult only after 5 molts.

The entire development cycle at a temperature of 20 degrees takes up to two months. This period is reduced at higher temperatures. The danger of insects is that they can live for a long time without food. At low temperatures they do not die, but fall into a cold stupor.