Why Silverfish Invade Redding Homes
Have you ever looked at a creature and wondered: “Why does it look like that?” This regularly happens with silverfish. If you have never seen one of these strange fish-like, metallic-coated insects or you have just recently spotted one inside your home, you are in the right place. Here is everything you need to know about silverfish here in Redding, including why they regularly invade homes.
What Are Silverfish?
Silverfish are a species of bug that is native to our area and known for their strange appearance and mannerisms. Identify this insect by its silver to brown color, elongated oval-shaped, ¾” long body, two antennae, and three, long, bristle-like appendages that protrude from its rear, like tails.
You are most likely to find silverfish around bathrooms, basements, attics, and other humid rooms inside your home. As part of their nature, these pests take active steps to stay out of sight of humans. This often means the damage they cause goes unnoticed.
Signs Of A Silverfish Infestation
Silverfish are subtle pests that are often difficult to identify and spot. The best way to know if these pests are infesting your home is to look for holes and notches, surface etching, and holes around items these pests infest and eat. So you know, silverfish live on a diet of other insects and food high in starch. This includes grains, vegetables, and sugar. Some of the strangest things these pests consume are drapes, carpets, pet food, and books.
How Silverfish Get Into Homes
Silverfish sneak their way into homes in many ways. Most often these pests enter buildings through cracks, gaps, and other openings. This may include spacing beneath doors, gaps around framing, damage to exterior foundations, torn screens, and open doors and windows. One creative way these pests get inside homes is by hiding inside pieces of furniture or boxes of books and being carried in.
Are Silverfish Dangerous?
Silverfish are not a threat to human health. They do not bite, sting, or spread diseases. The main problem these insects cause is with the damage they do to books, furniture, carpets, and other items around homes. They can also be incredibly annoying if populations grow out of control.
Some Strategies To Prevent Silverfish
It is important that you don’t just understand silverfish, but also know how to keep these pests out of your living areas. To do this, here are some simple prevention tips our team recommends you try.
- Thoroughly check furniture, boxes, and books for silverfish before bringing them inside.
- Use a caulking gun to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation and spacing around window/door frames.
- Repair damage to window/door screens.
- Make sure all of your exterior doors have door sweeps.
- Keep unscreened windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Fix leaky piping and fixtures in and around your home.
- Eliminate sources of water buildup.
- Use a dehumidifier indoors.
The Easiest Way To Handle Silverfish
If you are looking for a quick and easy solution to get and keep silverfish out of your home, we recommend seeking professional help. At Redding Spray Service, we are committed to providing top-tier pest prevention services for residents here in Redding. With a range of options to choose from, including economic-friendly choices to fit your budget, we have everything your property needs to combat pests, year-round.
Call our team now and learn more about our general pest control options. We will answer any questions you have about pests that live in our area and we will find a service plan to keep them out of your Redding home.
Tags: home pest control | silverfish in redding | pest prevention |
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