Where Do Silverfish Bugs Come From?

They give you the creeps and seem to come out of nowhere. If you’ve got silverfish in your house, they aren’t dangerous but can be an unwelcome sight. If you want to know how to get rid of them, you have to know everything you can about where silverfish come from.

Silverfish – Where Do They Come From?

Silverfish are ghostly creatures that look a lot more dangerous than they are. They come into your house searching for food, and love to take refuge in warm, damp places. They most often get into houses through infected articles such as boxes of old books, old furniture, or contaminated food boxes.

Silverfish feed on cellulose and sugar, so those damp book pages are a perfect breeding ground for them. If you don’t see them for a while, that doesn’t mean the problem is clear. They can go dormant waiting for better conditions for a while, so handling a problem could be more challenging than you think.

What Do Silverfish Eat?

Silverfish love to eat dry goods and, of course, sugars. They’ll also satisfy themselves on the wet cardboard or damp food boxes. The presence of a lot of old books could also signal an infestation as well because as book pages break down, they can also sustain a silverfish’s diet.

Where Do Silverfish Live?

Silverfish like to hide out in warm dark places, but they’ll move into a cooler spot in search of food. Areas that have both moisture and warmth are perfect breeding grounds and may actually speed up the breeding cycle so that you have a full-blown infestation on your hands.

How Do I Handle A Silverfish Infestation?

Silverfish can be tough to treat because they don’t always need a food source to live. If you’ve had trouble with silverfish and then you suddenly don’t see them anymore, it doesn’t mean the problem is solved.

It’s more likely that they’re waiting for better food sources and warmer temperatures for breeding cycles. They aren’t dangerous to humans and don’t bite, but they can be really gross to find in your favorite book or your food cabinets.

Calling a professional can help make sure that your silverfish problem is solved. Professionals know where to look for their hiding spots and can give you some advice on how to prevent them from coming back after treatment.

Understanding Where Silverfish Come From

So what are silverfish, and where do they come from? They don’t just appear. They come searching for certain food sources and have lots of places to hide in most homes. Once you see one, it can be challenging to get rid of them.

There’s hope, however. If you decide to contact a professional, you can get advice on how to treat the problem and prevent them from coming back. Treatments should always accompany an ounce of prevention to ensure the problem isn’t an issue down the road.

Be sure to cover your food and change to glass jars, if at all possible, especially with your dry goods. Silverfish come into your house looking for cellulose-based products with sugars, and glass can be much harder to get into.

Check your books, furniture, and even clothing if it comes from a place other than a clean source. Some infestations can happen simply because boxes or other containers are brought into the house, and no one notices the silverfish are around. It’s always going to be easier to prevent a silverfish infestation than it is to get rid of them, but you won’t have to worry about bites or diseases at least.

FAQ’s

How long can silverfish go dormant?

Silverfish do not go dormant as per se; rather, they go into a state called diapause. In this state, they don’t develop for a while, but they take care not to freeze their blood. In harsh climatic conditions like in winter, they adapt to survive.

Can silverfish survive during winter?

Yes, a silverfish can survive during winter. Silverfish loves moisture, and their silver, metallic fish-like appearance makes it survive in nearly any climate. Many pests die during winter, but the silverfish survives. However, temperatures below 32°F kills the immature stages of the silverfish.

In what ways can silverfish damage the interiors of my home?

A silverfish can be really detrimental to your interiors. They are attracted to starches and sugars, hence expect them to be all and about in your kitchen destroying your rolled oats, flour, dried beef and bread. They are harmful to carpets, clothing, books, wallpaper, paintings and tapestry. They may be found in the bathroom as the place is humid.