Make Your Common Silverfish Scarce! : Information and Advice
July 15th, 2009 Posted in Pantry & Linen Pests, Silverfish & Firebrats
-(Lepisma saccharina)
Common Silverfish are the smallest of silverfish considered pests, reaching an average length of 1/2 in. when mature. They can be silvery, pearl-gray, or blackish on top, while the bottom is always pale in comparison.
For more details about Common Silverfish:
Chracteristics
The Common has distinctly flattened and broad femora with mandibles that articulate at two points. The two segmented, thread-like antennae at the front are complemented at the back by three styli: one long medial filament projecting straight out and two lateral cerci, often as long as the medial filament, branching out at right angles from the end of the abdomen. These filaments are used as finger-like sensory devices.
Habits
The Common Silverfish, active only during the night, avoids direct light and resides indoors all year around. Are these pests living in your home? Use EcoSMART Home Pest Control to safely get rid of Common Silverfish.
Under optimal conditions the Common can live for up to 4 years, but lifespans closer to 2 years are more common. Throughout a 2 year life the insect can molt up to 50 times.
Life Cycle
Female Commons lay eggs almost continuously once they mature and often lay more than a hundred in a lifetime. They usually lay 1-3 eggs per day on a number of successive days or at intervals of several days or weeks, depositing the eggs singly or in small groups in cracks or crevices. The female also alternates between molting and laying eggs. The eggs typically hatch in 3-6 weeks, producing white nymphs at first, which turn silver after 4-6 weeks.
The Common experiences an incomplete metamorphosis, or hemimetaboly, meaning that the life cycle only consists of three stages:
1)Egg
2)Nymph
3)Adult (Imago)
The average time that it takes for the Common Silverfish to go from egg to adult is about 2-3 years, but under perfect conditions the life cycle can speed up, causing the insect to mature in as little as 3-4 months.
Common Silverfish are often confused with Firebrat and Jumping Bristletail.
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11 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Brian Kelnar on Aug 3, 2009
we have suddenly had a massive population growth of silverfish through the house. We made sure we do not keep paper products or cardboard stored anywhere but they have started appearing through the house and i don’t know how to get rid of them. I don’t even know where to start spraying for them. Please advise.
By Mark on Aug 10, 2009
hey Brian,
the best thing to do is make you sure you spray all of the surfaces that you’ve seen them crawling around on (as long as the spray won’t harm any of your floors, walls, etc.) also spray around your house in areas where they could get into the walls or floors (i.e. baseboards, any holes in walls, entry-points for pipes, door casings etc.) try to spray your attic/basement in the same sorts of locations because that is where they often congregate. the spray might not take effect immediately but it should control them in a few weeks
By Jodi on Aug 19, 2009
Please please please! I hope this will help so I can sleep at night without thinking these slimy silverfish are swimming around me! I have bad allergies and won’t use traditional toxic stuff. Diatomaceous earth works fine outside and on the sill in the basement, but in the bedroom and the rest of the house inside, a spray is really what is needed. We really need this to work!!!
By David Claussen on Oct 23, 2009
We too have had an “outbreak” of Silverfish in our home. We live in Florida and usually have a few of them. Lately, the last week or two, they are out in large numbers. I hope to use this product to get rid of them and yet still have things safe for our heard of cats (4).
By laurie steiner on Oct 23, 2009
We get them in our house too, and they seem to like the attic, so even if you don’t use yours, if you see the critters, make sure you spray up there. Also, if you have older plumbing, make sure you spray the pipes between floors.
By kim s on Oct 23, 2009
I hate silverfish! I only see them in the winter, usually after a long shower when the bathroom is humid. I never thought of using a spray until now, though. I am also afraid to use most of the bug sprays on the market because of all of the chemicals. I have been using essential oils for the ants in the summer, but only outside. I too, would also like to know if there is any natural product that would get rid of silverfish!
By chris on Oct 23, 2009
They are freaky little creatures and i never knew what they were called until today , we have just started seeing them alot again because of the cold weather i think.My room is in the basement and i have seen some pretty large ones crawling around and I cant stand them!Is there a way to keep them away like how monkeyballs are supposed to repel spiders?
By Shelley on Feb 15, 2010
Help, I am being over run by Silverfish. Within the past 2 weeks I have seen at least 2 of them on my living room walls every night. I never had a problem before and I really don’t want to use a dust.
By EcoSMART Megan on Feb 15, 2010
Hi Shelley,
Don’t worry, dust isn’t your only option. EcoSMART makes a Home Pest Control to spray all over your living room. Concentrate on openings where they could get into your walls or floor boards.
Feel free to spray everywhere, there are no chemicals in the product that could harm your furniture or family.
By jen on Jul 4, 2011
I would LOVE to try this! I hate to use chemicals around my kids. I’ve been seeing one to two silverfish a day in our home. Yikes! We’ve never had a problem with bugs!