What is the lifespan of silverfish?

The surrounding environment has a major influence on silverfish development and how long silverfish live. In ideal environments of high temperatures and humidly, these insects can live for about three years.

How long do silverfish live in a house?

They can live up to 8 years and reproduce frequently throughout their lives. This is why they can be a huge nuisance and over time they can cause damage to household items.

Should you kill silverfish?

Although they are not dangerous, they can damage property and trigger allergies. A person can try several natural and chemical methods to get rid of them before contacting a professional pest control service. Silverfish are a type of wingless insect that lives worldwide, including throughout the United States.

What naturally kills silverfish?

Use borax. Borax is an effective way to kill silverfish. For best results, purchase borax at your local home goods store, and spread a thin layer anywhere you've noticed silverfish. It's particularly appropriate for use on the back side of cabinets, along baseboards, in closets, and beneath appliances.

What is the purpose of a silverfish?

In fact, outdoors, silverfish are important decomposers, helping with the natural circle of life in the ecosystem. If you're not looking for silverfish, you might stumble across them in the bathtub or sink. These places attract silverfish who are looking for a water source.

Learn Something About Silverfish!

Do silverfish mean your house is dirty?

You might be happy to learn that silverfish are not necessarily a sign of a dirty house. However, they can be a sign of underlying problems. Silverfish love warm and damp areas, and this is generally not what you want in your home.

Do silverfish go away in the winter?

Unlike many other pests, which die off or go dormant in the winter, the silverfish, which gets its name from its silvery, metallic appearance and fish-like shape and movements, can remain active all year long.

What smell do silverfish hate?

Silverfish hate the smell of citrus, cinnamon and lavender. If you are looking to repel them naturally, a great idea is to use essential oils to clean your home or as a home fragrance (such as candles and diffusers) to keep them away.

Do silverfish have nests?

Inside homes, silverfish create nests in damp areas where temperatures are cooler, and they are usually found residing in basements. However, they can also be found nesting in cabinets and underneath sinks in attics, kitchens, crawl spaces, laundry rooms, and bathrooms.

Can you see silverfish eggs?

Silverfish Eggs and Larvae Facts

Silverfish eggs are commonly placed inside tiny cracks or crevices, making them difficult to locate. Silverfish eggs are elliptically shaped and measure approximately 1 mm in length. Initially soft and white, silverfish eggs toughen and yellow after a few hours.

Do silverfish go in beds?

Finding Silverfish in Beds

Although they prefer places like bathrooms and closets, it is possible to find silverfish bugs in beds. These insects are about half an inch in length with silver teardrop-shaped bodies and long antennae. While they're more annoying than harmful, these pests can damage bedding.

How quickly do silverfish multiply?

Female silverfish produce one to three eggs per day, or clusters of two to twenty. The pests deposit eggs in cracks around the inside of a home or attic, making them difficult to find. Unlike some other insects, silverfish can produce eggs all year.

Do spiders eat silverfish?

Centipedes, spiders, and earwigs all prey on silverfish, and all can be a potential problem for the families that live in the home.

How do you get rid of silverfish overnight?

What do silverfish eat in your home?

Silverfish eat starches and protein-rich items, including grains, vegetables, fibers, sugars and fabrics. The pests also feed on stored cereals and pet food. In fact, infesting these types of products is often how they are brought inside the house.

Is one silverfish a problem?

If you see one silverfish, there is a good chance there are hundreds living in your walls. A single female can lay 100 eggs in her lifetime and it only take 3 months from egg to adult. It doesn't take long for silverfish populations to get out of hand.

How do you spot a silverfish nest?

Tiny black spots of their excrement. Yellowish stains. Nests outdoors in bark or other wood, rocks, or construction material in warm weather. Indoor nests in damp, dark areas.

Do silverfish lay eggs in your ear?

Do silverfish crawl in ears and lay eggs? Like the earwig, silverfish have earned a reputation for climbing into the ears of sleeping people and laying their eggs. This is not true for either of these insects.

Where do baby silverfish come from?

Female silverfish lay their eggs in hidden places around homes. These eggs typically hatch in about 20 to 40 days. Baby silverfish, or nymphs, in an ideal setting can mature in three months. In cool climates, full development into adults may take up to two years.

Will silverfish go away?

As with any form of natural pest control, you need to be diligent to get rid of silverfish in your home. A thorough cleanup may help reduce their numbers, but some will find hiding spots in your home. With consistent effort over several weeks, you'll naturally eliminate those silverfish.

Do silverfish eat your hair?

Not only do silverfish eat hair and dandruff, they are also drawn to the moisture of your bathroom.

Can silverfish climb walls?

They're Poor Climbers

Some types of insects can expertly climb smooth vertical surfaces, like walls. Silverfish do not have this ability. If they fall into a sink, bathtub, or similar place, they can't get out. Since these pests can be found trapped in sinks or tubs, some people think silverfish climb out of drains.

What time of year are silverfish most active?

These pests cause untold damage all throughout the spring and summer; however, if you think that you're safe from silverfish in the winter, you're mistaken. Silverfish are nearly just as active in the cold temperatures as in any other time of the year.

What temp kills silverfish?

However, they can survive at temperatures ranging from freezing to well above 100°F. You can find them around ovens, heating units, fireplaces, hot water pipes, attics during the summer, and the furnace during winter.

What time of year are silverfish most common?

Silverfish are humidity seeking pests and are common in homes throughout New England. Silverfish can be especially problematic in the spring when they and other pests become active once again after the winter season.