Silverfish

About Silverfish

Silverfish are nocturnal insects and a persistent annoyance in many homes. Notable for metallic appearance and small size, these flightless bugs are more crawly than creepy. Nevertheless, as they eat just about any carbohydrate they encounter – including industrial carbohydrates found in glue – they cause damage to paper, photographs, carpets, clothing, wallpaper and more.

 

Silverfish have little impact on human health, aren’t often found in large numbers and cannot sting to defend themselves, yet the impact of a few individuals eating away at prized possessions definitely makes them a Grade A domestic pest.

 

One further point is that silverfish are extremely unusual among insects in that they moult continually. Where other insects might only shed their skin case a few times as they grow to adult size, silverfish moult throughout their lives. Some do so over 60 times. All those discarded skins add further mess.

Advanced Pest Control can also lay down bait to lure them and then eliminate them.
It is essential to find and remove the adult, as the eggs are difficult to destroy.

AUSTRALIAN SILVERFISH SPECIES

Silverfish

(Lepisma saccharina)

Silverfish get their name from their appearance.

 

They are small and silvery grey in colour and their abdomens taper at the end making them a similar shape to fish.

 

They are usually 13-25mm in length.

Silverfish are a global species, found in most  parts of the world.

 

They inhabit mostly moist areas as they like humidity to be between 75% and 95%. In suburban areas, they can be found in attics, basements, bathtubs, sinks, kitchens, old books, storage units and garages etc.

Silverfish are nocturnal and can run really fast so they can be hard to catch.

 

They like hiding in dark corners and crevices.

Silverfish have a funny 3 stage mating ritual, ending in the female laying her eggs, a maximum of 60 at a time.

 

The eggs hatch between 2 weeks and 2 months.

silverfish