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Identifying The Silverfish Bug

December 1st, 2009 Posted in Silverfish & Firebrats

Silverfish are those tiny little pests you find squirming on your wall. If you squish them they leave a gray smear on your wall, so even once you get rid of them they are annoying. Attracted to humidity and moisture, the silverfish bug is a unique nuisance among the insect world.

There are many different species of silverfish that frequent your home and it is important to be able to identify each species, so you can deal with them on an individual basis.

This article will discuss:

• Silverfish Identification
• Species Identification
• Organic Insecticides

Silverfish Identification

Silverfish are slender silver and brown bugs. The silverfish bug is wingless and is covered completely with scales. They’ve got a grey film covering these scales, which is what leaves the gray residue smear when they get squished. They have soft and fragile bodies, which again makes them easy to squish.

The silverfish bug is normally 3/4 inches long. With 3 long tails and 2 long antennae, they can feel their way around any surface in your home. Often moving rapidly along a wall or floor, they can be very hard to catch. Thus, making them harder to control and remove from your home. Also commonly known as the firebrat, but this name is typically used to identify darker species attracted to heat.

Species Identification

There are 4 main species of silverfish and firebrats that you will most commonly encounter. It is important to identify the distinction between the varying species.

Common Silverfish

• Known as Lepisma Saccharina

• 1/2 inches long, colored silver, and prefer temperatures of 70-80°
• Mostly found near moisture, basements, and low floors

Gray Silverfish

• Known as Ctenolepisma Longicaudata

• 3/4 inches long, colored gray, and prefer temperatures of 80-85°
• Mostly found near basements, attics, closets, and kitchens

Four-lined Silverfish

• Known as Ctenolepisma Quadriseriata

• 1/2 inches long, colored tan and gray, and prefer temperatures of 80-85°
• Mostly found near attics, storage areas, kitchens, and dark closets

Firebrat

• Known at Thermobia Domestica

• 1/2 inches long, colored gray, and prefer temperatures of 100°
• Mostly found near boiler rooms, hot water heaters, in and around ovens, and in attics during the summer

Organic Insecticides

There are many things you can do in your home for varying success on how to get rid of silverfish. The most common techniques include reducing humidity and lighting, increasing sanitation, repairing or removing wallpaper, and sealing windows and doors properly.

To ensure removal of the silverfish from your home, use EcoSMART’s organic insecticides. Made with organic chemicals our insecticides only target bugs thus, are completely harmless to pets, children, and the environment. This makes our products the only safe and effective means of removing present and future silverfish infestations.