Today I'm telling you about an insect I have came across recently and which made me shiver:the silverfish.
Behind this friendly nickname (this insect is actually called silverfish), I can tell you that it is frankly disgusting to see.
And I know what I'm talking about, I saw one running around my bathroom (yuck)!
Another insect that invades our homes without asking permission.
So since I know I have a new roommate, I wanted to know more about him.
Should I be afraid of it, how does it live, what does it feed on, and above all, how do I get rid of it!
Discover 7 tips to get rid of silverfish in your house or apartment. Watch:
The silverfish is a small insect with a flat body covered with silvery scales.
No wonder it was given the name silverfish.
Native to tropical islands, it likes to live in a hot and humid environment.
He therefore loves places like toilets, laundry rooms and bathrooms.
The size of the silverfish is about 1 cm long and has 2 long antennae.
But what struck me about him is the fact that his head is bigger than his tail.
It's very weird when you see it in real life. It's even awful.
You should also know that this insect only moves at night; so it's super hard to detect.
They mainly hide in cracks or small holes and run away as soon as they see light.
Fortunately, silverfish do not fly. Just to imagine that it could land on me...disgusting!
But even without wings, it is super difficult to catch. But I know what attracts him...
Watch below:
2 main causes explain the presence of silverfish here.
As I told you, silverfish like warm, humid and dark places houses.
It is in heaven as soon as the room temperature reaches 25°C and has a humidity level of 75%.
A hot, poorly ventilated room is a strong attraction.
Ponds or attics are therefore by definition the places where you can most often encounter it.
It mainly hides in the hollows between baseboards or behind furniture.
Next, be aware that silverfish are attracted to all kinds of foods, including synthetics.
Wood glue, clothes, synthetic starch or even books and furniture are his favorite dishes.
It therefore often penetrates our homes during a move, for example.
Once inside the house, the silverfish is satisfied with a whole lot of things.
Flour, sugar, cereals, paper, cotton, hair, dead insects, mites and so on...
Silverfish eat everything!
And you know what, in times of scarcity, it can even eat dust to survive!
Yes, silverfish are particularly tough.
It can reach 7 years of life, although its average lifespan is 3 years.
This insect is not very appetizing, that's for sure.
But it is however not dangerous for humans!
Silverfish do not sting, bite, transmit disease or allergic reactions.
No worries on that side so no need to crush it as soon as you see one.
No really the only problem is the unsightly appearance of this creature.
Seeing one or more silverfish wandering around the bathroom is really not terrible.
In any case, even if this pest is not harmful, it can be useful to know how to eliminate it.
Let's look together at the natural solutions for this.
Before getting rid of it, you should already know if a colony of silverfish is present in your home.
Indeed, this insect moving at night, it is difficult to spot.
However, some signs do not deceive.
If you see little black dots a little too often, it's definitely their droppings.
If you see very small dead skins, it is the result of their moulting.
And above all, if you see little yellow holes on fabric or paper, they are there!
If you have identified all of these, then follow these tips to eliminate them.
But be careful, be patient; these critters are tenacious and difficult to dislodge.
First essential step to fight against these invaders:
Have a nickel home from nickel.
And for that, no need to use bleach.
If you've let yourself go a little lately, pick up brooms and the like for impeccable hygiene.
Silverfish feed on all kinds of remains, deprive them of these potential food sources.
Give every corner of the house a good vacuum, including the inside of the cabinets.
This allows food residues to be removed and the eggs laid by the females to be sucked up.
Clean your furniture often, especially those that are a real dust nest.
Without forgetting to sanitize the kitchen, especially the wet undersides of washbasins and sinks.
Also put uneaten food in airtight containers.
Also, don't leave breadcrumbs on the floor or on the counter.
Finally, don't leave piles of dead leaves near the house.
To eradicate the presence of silverfish, it is not necessary to use harmful chemicals.
Diatomaceous earth does the job perfectly as a natural insecticide.
Simply sprinkle this product along the skirting boards.
This action has the effect of dehydrating the insects and therefore killing them.
Besides, diatomaceous earth has many other uses against insects.
Again, no need to resort to chemicals to control these critters.
You can very simply make homemade traps which, moreover, are not cruel.
First, take small glass jars or yoghurt jars and remove the lids.
Wrap the pot with double-sided tape and put flour and water in it to bait.
Put the pots where you see the most silverfish or in the most crowded places.
Silverfish get into the jar, but get stuck in it, because they can't come up smooth surfaces!
When trapped inside, take the jar and throw the insects outside the house.
Moisture is one of the components of survival silverfish.
Do you see where I'm coming from?
Make your rooms less humid and you can be sure that you won't see any more silverfish around.
So be careful that there is no water leak in your home and insulate the pipes.
A good VMC in the kitchen and the bathroom is essential to ventilate your rooms.
Failing that, invest in a dehumidifier or make one and maintain a humidity level of 60% maximum.
The essential white vinegar is obviously one of the solutions to get rid of silverfish.
Silverfish hate the smell of vinegar and flees as soon as the first scents are felt.
It's because these little creatures have a delicate sense of smell!
Using a spray bottle, simply spray the vinegar in areas where silverfish are present.
To inconvenience them, you can also use cinnamon sticks, cedar wood or basil.
Citrus essential oils are also recommended to clear them out.
All these products perfectly replace polluting insecticides.
It is enough to sprinkle it on the places of passages so that it is effective.
Finally, if like me you have discovered silverfish in the washing machine, do the following:
Pour 1 liter of white vinegar and 4 tablespoons of baking soda directly into the drum.
Then run with a program at 90°C, it's radical!
Another solution to eradicate silverfish is to use baking soda and sugar.
Sprinkle these 2 products in equal parts on the places where the insects pass and let them taste!
How is this possible?
Attracted by sugar, these insects cannot tell the difference between bicarbonate and swallow both substances.
Except that baking soda is very toxic for them...
We all know the properties of this product, especially for its lubricating effects.
Well Vaseline is also used to deter insects from climbing on your furniture.
Put a little on baseboards and furniture to create a real skating rink.
Since they can no longer climb, they simply no longer invade the premises.
There you go, now you know how to get rid of silverfish :-)
Easy, fast and efficient, right?
No more jumping to the ceiling when you see a family of silverfish near the bathtub or other rooms.
With our tips, end their reproduction, egg laying and invasion of larvae.
Our treatments allow them to be exterminated naturally without using chemical repellents.
