Silverfish

www.silverfishbugs.net

So let's chat about silverfish.

Silverfish are scaly, usually gray insects that crawl around (or scurry really) around your home. They prefer damp areas such as the bathroom, basement, or areas of your kitchen that are wet (think: under the kitchen sink). As you can see by the picture, silverfish actually do kind of, if you squint, resemble a fish. They have scale like covered bodies and a rounded face. When they move, silverfish are incredibly fast and the shake back and forth, much like a swimming fish.

Silverfish will eat almost anything in your house or business that contains sugar or starch. This includes books, paper, sugar, coffee, and even clothing and glue! When a silverfish has been eating something of yours, it will often look like a caterpillar has eaten it instead: envision a hole in a leaf where a caterpillar has eaten and that's what your book or starchy food will look like. 

It's hard to tell how many silverfish you have in your home or business because of how quickly they can multiply. If you find a silverfish, make sure that you move the items that it was eating to a dry area. These insects are nocturnal, so it's not very likely that you'll see them during the day unless you move something that they are living in.

If you suspect an infestation, call your local pest control company. If you're in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, visit www.allwaypestcontrol.com for more information!