8 Ways To Get Rid Of Silverfish So They Won't Damage Your Belongings

You’re pulling out the holiday décor, or you just opened a cabinet or moved a book, and out scuttles a tiny, flat insect covered with silvery scales. These pests are called silverfish, and they can move surprisingly quickly.

“Silverfish are primitive insects that aren’t as obvious as other pests, such as ants,” says Eric Benson, PhD, professor emeritus and extension entomologist with Clemson University. “They like isolated, hidden areas, and you usually don’t realize you have them until you go into a storage area and discover them.”

The good news is that silverfish don’t bite or sting, and they don’t carry disease, says Benson. However, they can cause damage to household items and food because they feed on a variety of starchy materials, including books, cardboard, paper, grains, silk, cotton linen, rayon, and wallpaper paste. They also eat dead insects.

Identifying Silverfish

Silverfish have no wings, but they do have two long antennae in front and three long bristly appendages on the back end. At ½ to 5/8-inch long, silverfish can squeeze in through tiny cracks, or you inadvertently carry them into your house when bringing in boxes, clothing, or furniture. “You see them just about anywhere in a house,” says Faith Oi, PhD, entomologist and extension professor at the University of Florida. “They’re often found in piles of any type of papery clutter, such as stacks of magazines or old newspapers.”

Understanding Silverfish

Incredibly, these insects can live for several years—which is far longer than many other household pests! Females can lay up to 100 eggs during a lifetime, which hatch in three to six weeks. Silverfish like to hid in crevices and are active mostly at night, preferring cool, damp areas, says Benson.

Typically, silverfish are more of an issue in commercial settings, such as a library where they can cause major losses. But you can build up a population in your house, too, if they have plenty of food and a nice place to hide. “The risk is the damage they can do to family heirlooms or old photos or historical documents,” says Benson.

How To Get Rid Of Silverfish

Fortunately, most of the time, these pests are more of a nuisance than a huge problem. But they do chew through items, and most of us don’t enjoy these insects darting across the bathroom floor or scurrying out of the box of Christmas ornaments. There’s no easy fix, but try these tips from Benson and Oi to keep silverfish out of your house:

• Declutter. Get rid of stacks of cardboard boxes, papers, magazine piles, and other paper clutter. When transporting items from a long-term storage facility, remove them from the cardboard box first to inspect and ensure you don’t have hitchhikers.
• Run dehumidifiers in areas prone to dampness. Silverfish like it cool and moist, so lowering humidity may help.
• Store items that you’re keeping long-term, such as Christmas decorations, in lidded plastic containers, not cardboard boxes.
• Get things off the floor. Even raising storage containers an inch or two off a flat surface, such as the basement floor, can help discourage pests from finding a safe harbor.
• Seal cracks, if you see a place where they seem to be entering, such as under a baseboard. But because they’re so tiny, this isn’t always effective.
• Vacuum them up or squish them, if it’s just an occasional intruder.
• For repeated problems, dust sparingly with boric acid or diatomaceous earth. These products come in a squeeze bottle, which allow you to lightly puff it into cracks and crevices where you’ve seen them emerging. You also can use pre-measured packets of boric acid that can be stashed inside closets and behind bookcases. For all pesticides, keep kids and curious pets away, and always follow the label instructions.
• Get help. If you can’t figure out where silverfish are coming from, and it’s become a regular annoyance, you may want to consult a professional pest control firm.