How To Get Rid Of Silverfish In Your Tampa Home

Silverfish are what we call an "occasional invader." You may not see them all year, and then all of a sudden, they show up inside your home. That usually means the soil has gotten too dry for them outside, and they are seeking greater moisture, which is the most ideal silverfish habitat. They love dark and damp areas, like your crawl spaces, subflooring, behind walls, basements, bathrooms, under sinks, and other hard-to-reach areas. Since they reproduce quickly, you're going to want to get a professional company that performs pest control in Tampa, and Urbanex would be glad to help you.

How To Identify A Silverfish

You've likely seen them before, but you may not have known what they were. Adult silverfish are unique-looking pests that can be recognized by the following traits:

Have a metallic silver or brown color
Have a fish-like teardrop shape
Have bristly rear appendages
Measure about three-quarters of an inch long
Have six legs, a tail, and an antennae
Are quick movers that wriggle like fish
Possess a flat, oval, elongated body with scales
Have widely separated eyes

While silverfish in Tampa are mainly nuisance pests, if you see them in your home, you'll want to take action to get them out before they begin to reproduce.

Why You Don't Want Silverfish Crawling Around Your Home

The good news is that silverfish don't bite or sting pets or humans. However, they can do some damage to your things, namely your clothing and anything made out of paper, including books and wallpaper. They also like to feed on flour, oats, and even glue! They don't only destroy items by eating them; they also contaminate things when they leave their scales, feces, and yellow stains behind. Silverfish can carry bacteria on their legs, which they can leave on food and countertops. If you ingest the bacteria, you can become sick. They reproduce quickly, with a female being able to lay one to three eggs each day. The eggs take three months to hatch. A silverfish's life cycle or life expectancy is up to three years. If you're not getting your home treated for silverfish after you know you have them, you can see how quickly an infestation can go from bad to worse.

Five Naturally Effective Silverfish Prevention Tips

You can avoid a silverfish infestation by keeping your home as dry as possible. Invest in one or two good dehumidifiers. Other prevention tips include:

Don't store anything against the outside of your house.
Repair or remove any wet or moldy wood.
Keep food items in sealed containers.
Don't store magazines, paper, or books in dark, damp spaces.
Fix any leaky drains or pipes and maintain drainage systems.

Silverfish have been known to enter a home in cardboard boxes that are delivered from an infested origin. Carefully look in the boxes before you store them. Otherwise, it's all about keeping your home and areas next to your home as dry and clean as possible.

The Best Way To Get Rid Of Silverfish In Your Home

Getting rid of silverfish in your Tampa home is difficult because you simply have no idea where they all live. Most of their hiding places you can't possibly reach, such as the subflooring and tight crawl spaces. There is no plausible way to thoroughly eliminate the population and their eggs. The best way to get rid of silverfish in your home is to call the professionals at Urbanex. With over 25 years of combined experience in treating homes for silverfish and other pests, our technicians know what they're doing. We will do a free inspection and treat the same day whenever possible. With our money-back guarantee, you can't go wrong. Contact our office today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Tampa.

Request Your Free Inspection

Complete the form below to schedule your no obligation inspection.