Behavior

During the day, silverfish hide. If the object they are hiding under is moved, they dart toward another hiding place. They come out at night to seek food and water. Items on their preferred menu are cereals, moist wheat flour, books, any paper on which there is glue or paste (including wallpaper) and book bindings, and starch in clothing. They can live for several months without food. Silverfish can be found in any part of the home. They hide in baseboards and around window and door frames from which they seek out food sources. Sometimes they are seen in the bathtub or sink.

Treatment

To keep silverfish away, keep basements, laundry rooms, and bathrooms, especially shower stalls, clean and dry. Plug or putty holes or spaces around pipes. Repair leaks and drips in plumbing. Clean out closets periodically. Collections of magazines, papers, and books provide food for them. Occasionally, move books around in a bookcase. Keep foods in containers with tight lids. If you are encountering a particularly resilient silverfish infestation, call Clark Pest Control, and we’ll handle it for you.

Latin name: Lepisma saccharina