Recognizing Silverfish
Common silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small wingless insects that wriggle as they move. Their elongated bodies are covered with shiny, silvery grey scales and taper at the end. Adults are about half an inch long. A silverfish has two long antennae at its head end and three long bristles at its rear end. As silverfish wriggle and move rapidly along the ground it ’s sometimes hard to see their thin, light-colored legs and appendages, completing the illusion of little silver fish swimming on land.
Silverfish Lives
Silverfish are house pests and destroy property, but as far as we know they don ’t transmit diseases. They are nocturnal creatures. During the day they hide unnoticed in cracks and crevices and at night they become active and search for food. Silverfish are usually found in damp areas with high humidity, such as basements, laundry rooms, bathrooms and kitchens. They may be found in large numbers in new buildings in which the plaster on the walls, and perhaps the wood used to make the building, still contain moisture.
Silverfish eat a wide variety of food, especially carbohydrates. They feed on starches in the glue present in book bindings and also eat paper, photographs, wallpaper paste, starch in clothes, fabrics such as cotton and linen and any foods rich in carbohydrates that they find in the house, including sugar, flour, bread, rolled oats and other cereals. They will also eat high–protein foods such as meat and dead insects. In addition, they eat mold, dandruff and body coverings from silverfish molts. Silverfish can survive for several months without food. They sometimes leave scales and yellow stains where they ’ve travelled.
Silverfish Reproduction
During the mating process, the male silverfish releases a package of sperm called a spermatophore on to the ground. The female picks up the spermatophore with an organ at her rear end called an ovipositor and then inserts it into her body. Sperm are released from the spermatophore and fertilize the female ’s eggs.
The female lays her tiny eggs in any cracks and crevices that she can find. The eggs are white, oval, and about one millimeter long. The eggs may hatch in weeks or months, depending on the environmental conditions. The nymph that hatches looks like a smaller version of the adult, except it ’s lighter in color and isn ’t shiny. The nymph molts periodically as it grows (sheds its old body covering) and eventually develops the dark metallic shine characteristic of the adult silverfish.
Silverfish are long-lived insects. They can live for two to eight years, depending on their environment. They continue to molt even when they are adults, which is unusual for an insect.
Getting Rid of Silverfish
It ’s best to avoid removing silverfish with pesticides unless chemicals are absolutely necessary, especially if you have children or pets. The fewer dangerous toxins in the house the better.
If you notice only a few silverfish in your home, reducing moisture and humidity will help solve the pest problem. Make sure that you repair any leaky pipes or faucets. Improve ventilation. A dehumidifier will reduce moisture in the air. In addition, it ’s important to perform regular cleaning and vacuuming to remove crumbs, debris and mold that can serve as silverfish food sources and to remove silverfish eggs. Clean under sinks. Don ’t forget to clean crevices too, such as around the base of ovens and refrigerators and along baseboards. Fill any cracks that you notice. Seal any areas where wallpaper has become detached from the wall.
When you ’re trying to eliminate silverfish it ’s also important to make sure that all food containers and packages, photo albums, containers of important papers etc. are securely shut and sealed. Books, magazines and newspapers should also be placed in enclosed areas such as cabinets, cupboards and plastic storage containers. Cupboards and containers should be cleaned to remove any silverfish eggs before paper products are stored in them. Make sure that cupboard doors and storage container lids close firmly, with no gaps, or seal them shut until silverfish have been eliminated from the house.
Silverfish can ’t move on smooth, vertical surfaces, so if they fall into sinks or bathtubs they will be trapped. A simple but very effective silverfish trap can be made if a glass jar is covered on the outside with masking tape and some bread is put into the bottom of the jar. The tape provides traction for the silverfish to climb up to the mouth of the jar. If they fall into the jar they will be trapped, since they won ’t be able to climb up the smooth inside surface of the jar to get out.
If you need help deciding where to place traps, a technique that ’s often recommended is to place index cards coated with a dried paste of flour and water in areas where you suspect silverfish activity. Leave the cards there for at least a week. Look for the appearance of notched edges and scrape marks on the index cards to show that silverfish are present.
Eliminating Silverfish With Pesticides
If you need chemical help to rid your house of pesticides, you might
want to try diatomaceous earth first. Diatomaceous earth is a powder
made of the crushed fossils of diatoms, microscopic creatures with hard
coverings made of silica. The mixture is abrasive, and removes the waxy
covering on the surface of the silverfish. This coating helps prevent
water loss from the silverfish ’s body. If it loses its coating, it will
dehydrate and die. The mixture is not toxic to humans or pets, but you
still have to be careful when using it, since the dust is a lung
irritant. Wear a dusk mask or respirator when you are applying
diatomaceous earth, and avoid getting it into your eyes or touching it,
since it is a desiccant (a substance that removes moisture from
materials). The powder can be spread into crevices and pushed into
cracks, but it may not be suitable for a house with pets. You really
don ’t want dogs or cats to sniff the areas where diatomaceous earth has
been applied and inhale the dust.
Boric acid also kills
silverfish. Boric acid is often reported to have very low toxicity in
humans and pets when used in a dilute solution, but scientists have
concerns about its safety as it becomes more concentrated. It kills
silverfish by dehydration but also by toxicity when it is ingested.
Children and pets should not have access to boric acid used to kill
silverfish.
A last resort for treating a serious silverfish
infestation is the use of commercial pesticides, which should be
applied by a professional pest remover.
Firebrats
Firebrats are relatives of silverfish and may also be unwanted guests in houses. Firebrats are similar in appearance to silverfish except they are not shiny. Instead, their bodies are a dull grey or brown color and have black bands or blotches. Firebrats require higher temperatures than silverfish. They can often be found around water heaters, furnaces and ovens.
Since silverfish are not harmful to human health, there‘s no need to panic if you see a few silverfish in your home, although a large infestation is more troubling due to the potential property damage. Reducing moisture buildup, maintaining a clean house in good repair and carefully storing food and paper products are good long-term strategies for making homes unattractive for silverfish.
, What Are Silverfish? – The Insects and Their Control www.ozeldersin.com bitirme tezi,ödev,proje dönem ödevi