A Silverfish is about 1/2 inch long, with a uniform silvery color over the upper surface. Their bodies are long and slender, flattened. The bodies are broad at the front, and gradually tapering toward the rear. Silverfish females may lay over 100 eggs during a lifetime. Eggs are laid singly or two to three at a time in small groups, hatching in three to six weeks. Young silverfish and firebrats resemble adults except being smaller, white and take on the adult color in four to six weeks. Adults may live two to eight years. Firebrats lay about 50 eggs at one time in several batches. Eggs hatch in about two weeks under ideal conditions.



Silverfish and firebrats, depending on the species, may reach maturity in three to twenty-four months. These insects normally hitchhike into the home in food, furniture, old books, papers and old starched clothing. Unlike other insects, they continue to molt after becoming adults. Forty-one molts have been recorded for one firebrat. Populations do not build up fast. A large infestation in the house usually indicates a longtime infestation.

Silverfish prefer a dark moist environment and they require a large supply of starchy foods and mold. They are considered to be terrible nuisance pests that will feed on wallpaper, books and papers. They are very fast moving and travel throughout buildings and houses. Once silverfish insects find a good food source they stay close to it and are very hard to get rid of. Silverfish are found in basements, kitchens, sinks, bathtubs, in bookcases, on closet shelves, behind baseboards, wallpaper, window or door frames, wall voids, and sub-floor areas. They can be found in wood shingles or sidings on houses, they may enter the home from these. Silverfish can be a year long problem.

Dehumidifying your home helps to lessen the moisture in your home, this is favored by these pests. Several different methods for dehumidifying your home are mending leaking pipes, ventilate closed rooms and attics, and eliminate standing water and using a dehumidifier.

Using a silicon gel such as Drione Dust will help eliminate these pests. For silverfish in your home a good residual treatment around the perimeter of your home with a pesticide from your local hardware store. Spray along the foundational wall, with a two or three foot band. Look for the following:

Cyonara 9.7, Demon WP/Cyper WP or Talstar One/Bifen IT: last for two to three months.

All these products are odorless. The wettable powder (WP) formulation in the Demon WP and Cyper WPwill leave a slight film that can be seen against dark surfaces. The Cyonara 9.7, Bifen IT or Talstar One do not leave a film.

However if you have a more severe problem with silverfish, look into stored boxes and the insulation in your attic. It is best to dust or bait these areas for greater control. When you use baits or dusts, you do want to get it as close as possible to their habitats to be effective. You never want to bait and dust in areas that are visible. Dust needs to be in hidden areas such as: Attic Insulation, behind refrigerators and ovens, boxes, light fixtures, electrical outlets and under siding.

Sanitation is important but not entirely effective in reducing populations because insects often reside between wall partitions, in insulation materials, in books and papers, among book shelves and in other protected places. However, be sure to remove old stacks of newspapers, magazines, papers, books and fabrics plus foodstuffs spilled and stored for long periods of time. Often reducing available water and lowering the home's relative humidity with dehumidifiers and fans is helpful. Repair leaking plumbing and eliminate moisture around laundry areas. Lighting a dark, sheltered area may force these insects to move to new sites where they can be controlled more easily. Once the infestation has been eliminated, sanitation will help prevent reinfestation. Make sure you vacuum all cracks and crevices of hard wood floors with vacuum attachment. Silverfish can get down into the smallest of places. Wallpaper glue can serve as a silverfish meal. If the corners or the edges of a strip of wall paper are peeling or coming up you will need to either reattach it, cut it off, or worst case scenario (and most effective) remove the wallpaper altogether.

Although silverfish can be terrible houseguests to get rid of, it is not impossibility. You are able to get rid of these unwanted critters over a matter of time just being patient and keeping things clean and dry. Try several of the options if you have too. One of them will work and you will soon be rid of the rotten little insects.