Category: Pest Control

Silverfish: The Ultimate Guide

You may have never heard of silverfish before, but after you see one, it may be hard to forget. Silverfish bugs are the epitome of creepy bugs with their distinctive appearance and alarming movements. While silverfish are not dangerous, you definitely do not want them in your home. If you have questions about silverfish, we have the answers. Learn how to identify, prevent, and control these household pests.

What do silverfish look like?

Silverfish (lepisma saccharina) are known for their fish-like looks and movements, but they are definitely not fish. Silverfish are small, wingless insects that are tear-drop shaped. As the name suggests, these insects are normally bluish-silver in color but can also be white or brownish-grey. Silverfish average 13-19 mm in length. They have 6 legs and 2 long antennae. Their elongated body tapers to a narrow rear end where 3 long bristles (cerci) protrude. If the physical description isn’t enough for you to confirm their identity, their movements may seal the deal. Silverfish move in a wiggling motion that makes them appear to be swimming. Despite this strange movement, silverfish are fast and agile runners.

Silverfish bug are also sometimes referred to as “bristletails” because of the appendages that protrude from the end of their abdomen. The term bristletail can also apply to firebrats (thermobia domestica). Firebrats are very similar to silverfish with a few key differences

Silverfish undergo gradual metamorphosis, meaning that the immature stages look very similar to adults, but they lack the ability to reproduce. A female silverfish will typically lay about 100 eggs in her lifetime. These eggs are very small, white, and oval-shaped, and are typically laid in small cracks or crevices or under stones or leaf litter.

Where do silverfish live?

Silverfish are found throughout the world in Africa, the Americas, Australia, Eurasia, and the Pacific. They live in dark, warm, humid environments. They prefer a relative humidity of 70%-90% and a temperature from 70-85 degrees. When they enter homes, they seek out environments that meet these criteria like attics, kitchens, bathtubs or showers, and under sinks

How To Get Rid of Silverfish

Looking to get rid of Silverfish, well you came to the right place!

In this guide on how to get rid of silverfish, you’ll learn:

How to prevent silverfish in the first place

How to identify clothes silverfish

The do’s and don’ts of silverfish removal (not to be skipped)

And some frequently asked silverfish removal questions

If you’re wondering, What are silverfish and should I care, well then you’ve been lucky enough not to have them in your home, destroying your books, photo albums, important documents or contaminating your dry food supply.

Silverfish can be slow to multiply but they are also hard to deal with and can cause quite a bit of damage in the meantime. They should not be taken lightly if you see them around your home. From natural remedies to silverfish sprays, to hiring an exterminator or even good house hygiene, there are many ways to prevent and remove them, but what actually works?

Can Silverfish be beaten?

To introduce this guide, I wanted to write some information on the question we get asked the most and provide some comfort in the fact that yes these silverfish can be beaten. Knowing there are silverfish in your home, laying eggs and damaging your home can cause anxiety, sleepless nights and stress. Silverfish are very slow breeders but live longer than you may think. An average silverfish can live for up to 8 years and in that period lay up to 100 eggs.

Four of the Biggest Reasons For Silverfish Infestations are

Lack of preventive measures in your home

Bad advice on the internet

Incomplete DIY extermination practices

Incompetent exterminators

Despite the difficulty to remove silverfish yourself, there are proven ways to remove silverfish infestations without an exterminator. At certain infestation levels, you will need to call a professional, and we’ll cover later in this guide when you should think about calling one before it is too late.

What do silverfish look like?

So, what are silverfish and what do they look like? Silverfish are some of the oldest living insects on the planet. Evolutionary they appeared before insects developed wings and are therefore considered primitive insects. They look very much like something you would expect to see in prehistoric times.

How to Get Rid of Silverfish

If you have found silverfish or signs of silverfish in your home, you can get rid of them with the proper products and treatments. Read our guide below to learn more about silverfish treatment and how to get rid of silverfish yourself.

Use Professional Grade Products

There are three types of products we recommend using to combat a silverfish infestation: silverfish packs, perimeter bait, and insecticide. By using all three products in conjunction with one another, you will have the most success controlling your infestation.

Silverfish packs are an easy and economical way to kill silverfish. Simply place the packs in infested areas and wait. The silverfish will eat through the packs and ingest the poison inside. Place packs in closets, bookcases, attics, basements, storage areas, and anywhere you have seen silverfish.

Treat With Perimeter Bait

Using a granular insecticide perimeter bait, like InTice 10, in addition to silverfish packs will also aid in eliminating silverfish. Apply the perimeter bait in attics near eaves and vent pipes, in the corners of basements, in crawl spaces, and in drop ceilings. Use a shaker or duster to apply bait around the perimeter of attics and basements. Do not apply where children or pets have access.

A liquid insecticide treatment will kill the silverfish living in your home. Treating the inside of your home in addition to using silverfish packs and perimeter bait will control your silverfish infestation. To treat the inside of your home, mix an insecticide labeled for silverfish, such as Bifen IT, according to the product label. Use 1 ounce of Bifen IT per gallon of water (or the ratio of product to water indicated on the label of your chosen insecticide), and mix in a hand pump sprayer. Wear protective gloves and long-sleeves when working with insecticide.

Silverfish

Are you sick and tired of seeing those slimy, disgusting, filthy little silver bugs scurrying up the walls in your bathroom, your kitchen, or .. even worse.. your bedroom? Have you ever tried to get rid of them? Not that easy, is it!

Sure.. squishing them might make you feel like you’re making a difference, but it just doesn’t solve the problem. They’ll keep coming back again and again and again. So take the next 5 minutes to read over this page and you will learn exactly what you need to know to get rid of silverfish.

The fact that you’ve arrived at this website should be evidence enough that you want to get rid of your silverfish infestation. But like most people, you may not think silverfish are anything more than a “nuisance pest.”

But the more you find out about silverfish, the more you will start to realize that not taking action against them is a very poor decision. They are much more harmful and intrusive than you may think.

Here are six facts about silverfish that you may have been happier not knowing:

x Silverfish damage your home – Silverfish like to feed on the glue behind your wallpaper. If you let it go on for too long they can cause costly damage that will significantly lower the value of your home or cost you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in repairs.

x Silverfish are most active at night – That means they can be crawling on you when you sleep! (So gross!) It happened to me once when I was reading in bed one night. It was the final straw and I knew I had to take action against them!

x Silverfish eat your cereal – This is probably something you could have lived more comfortably without knowing.. These disgusting bugs can get into your cereal boxes and eat your cereal.

x Silverfish eat your plants – If you keep plants in your home they can cause damage to them too! Plant material is a common food source for silverfish.

x Silverfish eat your clothes – Silverfish are also attracted to eating silk, synthetic fabrics and cotton clothing, so they may be crawling around in your clothes when you hang them in the closet. You won’t be too happy when you put on shirt that has silverfish in it.

x Silverfish are just plain embarrassing – Ever have company over for dinner? Do you feel shy and ashamed to let guests use your bathroom because you know they’re going to see silverfish crawling on the walls and around the side of your toilet?

Silverfish

Appearance

Silverfish are small, wingless insects usually measuring 20mm or less in length. They have three tails (or cerci) and their body is covered in tiny silver scales.

Habits

Silverfish do not have wings but are able to run very fast. They are usually seen in moist, humid areas in the home, such as bathrooms, basements, and attics.

They feed off molds and starchy materials like cereals, flour, sweet foods, paper, curtains and wallpaper items. Silverfish can live up to a year without food, but require an environment of high humidity. They move fast and are by nature nocturnal.

Threats

While silverfish are mainly a nuisance pest, because they can contaminate food and damage paper goods such as wallpaper and books.

Long-term Silverfish Prevention – Control Humidity

One option is to install a dehumidifier in your home.

Other options are to identify and repair leaky pipes and drains and also

Eliminate or repair any mouldy/wet wood or walls.

Improve ventilation in bathroom (e.g. bigger fan)

Fit an electric fan heater to raise temperature and evaporate condensation in shower room

Do not use a clothe horse indoors. Rather use a condenser dryer (“A” rated dryers cost less than 30c in electricity per cycle).

Pest Control

ANTS

There are many species of ant, but in total ants are the #1 pest problem not just in Connecticut but in the country. Treating them can be difficult. Most do-it-yourself remedies simply kill the ants you see, not addressing the root of the problem: the nest.

Ants can cause a variety of problems in Connecticut, depending on the kind that is bothering you. Some will chew and burrow through your home like carpenter ants, weakening your foundation like termites. Others can spread disease as they invade your kitchen and cabinets.

BED BUGS

Bed bugs are a re-surging problem in the United States, including in Connecticut. Once thought to be all but eradicated, bed bugs are back with a vengeance. Despite popular belief, it doesn’t take a dirty or unkempt home to come down with these nasty bloodsuckers. Bed bugs will hitch a ride home with you from a hotel, movie theater, or even a restaurant.

If untreated, a few bed bugs can quickly turn into a full-scale infestation, overcoming every room in your house.

TERMITES

Termites will literally eat you out of your home if left untreated. They can turn once solid wood into Swiss cheese. The tricky thing about termites is it can take a long period of time before they are noticed, at which point the substantial damage has already been done.

COCKROACHES

Cockroaches are more than unsightly, they are unsanitary and spread disease. Unfortunately, cockroaches are not an uncommon pest in Connecticut. And there is never just a single cockroach – there are always many more lurking behind walls and in cracks and crevices.

MICE & RATS

Mice & rats are a common problem in Connecticut and can be a real nuisance once you’ve got them. These rodents chew or burrow their way into homes, apartments, and businesses seeking food and shelter. Often a rodent problem develops when a neighbor has a problem and either treats it, driving the rodents into adjacent buildings, or lets it linger so long the rodents expand their hunting grounds seeking more food.

What Kind of Pesticide is Your Exterminator Using?

A reputable exterminator should list the active ingredients in their pesticides. Your local exterminator also should tell you the potential health threats associated with the pesticide, symptoms of poisoning, and any additional instructions for minimizing exposure and health impacts.

Here is some more information about each of the four most commonly used pesticide chemicals, as well as a couple of other pesticides that are growing in popularity

Pyrethroids and Pyrenthrins

Permethrin is the most common active ingredient in insecticides applied by licensed exterminators. It is one of a large class of chemical insecticides known as pyrethroids. They mimic pyrethrins, which are botanical insecticides typically derived from African chrysanthemum flower varieties. Both pyrethrins and pyrethroids work to paralyze and eventually kill a wide variety of insects.

Piperonyl Butoxide

MGK-264 and piperonyl butoxide are among several popular chemicals that are typically added to pyrethrins and other insecticide agents. The additives do not act alone as pesticides, but enhance the effectiveness of the other chemicals by inhibiting insect metabolism.

Hydramethylnon

Hydramethylnon is typically used in bait for ants, cockroaches, termites, crickets, and silverfish. It is a slow killer of insects, making them lethargic and slowly killing them over three or four days. While it may not be an instant solution, it has long-term impacts because insects are still alive to take the poison back to their colony.

PEST CONTROL

Pest Management Services

Pest Control offers a wide range of pest control services specialized to your situation in order to help maintain a pest-free zone. pest control technicians are thoroughly trained to identify the source of the pest problem including identifying which pest is causing the issue and recommend the best long-term solution for you or your business. always has the most current certifications to ensure the highest quality of service and create better results

Bed Bugs are a fast-growing problem. When signs or symptoms of bed bugs appear, it is essential that you call in a professional immediately to inspect the area of concern. carefully inspect common areas in which bed bugs make their nesting grounds such as box springs, mattresses, head boards and nightstands. In addition, will inspect areas such as baseboards, outlets and additional furniture in the room. After the inspection has been completed, a detailed report will be provided by the pest management professional and if activity is found, further arrangements for treatment can be scheduled immediately.

Rodents can be tough to get rid of and can cost residents and business owner’s a tremendous amount of time and money in damages. The best option when there are any signs of rodent activity is to call for an inspection. A professional will be able to locate access points in which rodents may be entering, identify the type of rodents you are dealing with, and inform you on the best way to proceed with removing the problem.

The German Cockroach is a common household insect within the United States. German Cockroaches are light brown to tan and have fully developed wings. They usually infest in kitchens and bathrooms but will live anywhere there is food and water. They enter your home by being transported by infested bags and cardboard boxes. German Cockroaches may also be harbouring in used appliances such as refrigerators, toasters and microwaves.

Three types of ants that can be causing an infestation to your home is the Allegheny Mound Ant, Carpenter Ant and Pharaoh Ant. The colony of the Allegheny Mound Ants become active in the spring. Foraging for food begins and they hibernate in the tunnelways of a mound below the soil surface. Workers attack and dismember other insects that the ants can overcome.

Pest Control Marketing Tips and Tricks

We’re all familiar with the tell-tale signs. First, you hear little feet scurrying around on the floor. Next, there’s a faint squeaking sound coming from inside your walls. Then, finally, you see it.

It’s at this time—when the prospect is desperate for help of any kind—that pest control businesses need their advertisements to stand out. Without a doubt, a consumer looking for services of this kind wants help as quickly as possible. That means advertisers need to earn top sponsored positions and craft some truly attention-grabbing ads.

Like we said—when your prospects are hurriedly hunting for a fast solution, getting the top ad position on the search engine results page (SERP) is absolutely crucial. To do this, you need to know the basics of the Google ad auction. Two key factors affect where you end up in the paid results: maximum cost per click (CPC) bid and Quality Score.

Quality Score is a little more complex. It’s basically Google’s metric for the relevance of your ad, and two things are important: click-through rate (CTR) and landing page quality. The higher your CTR and the better your landing pages, the greater your Quality Score.

Here’s the coolest part of the auction: advertisers with the best Quality Scores are rewarded with lower CPCs. So, boosting your CTR and optimizing your landing pages will drive more leads to your website and save you money.

Organic Pest Control for the Garden

You put in all this effort getting your garden to finally sprout. Then you go outside one day and all of your plants are chewed to the ground. Sometimes it’s so extensive that it looks like you never had any flowers in that bed at all. But rather than running out and buying the harshest pest control on the market, there’s a gentler way. Try using organic pest control.

The EPA has a laundry list of major types of symptoms when exposed to pesticides, including increased risk of cancer, headaches, nausea and muscular weakness, to name just a few. In fact, the EPA recommends you use non-chemical methods of pest control where possible. So below we’ll cover different ideas for organic pest control in the garden.

These options for organic pest control tend to be low for expense and time investment, as well. For instance, you can buy organic deer repellant sprays for around $15 a bottle or some methods require items you may already have around the home.

Organic Methods Using Applied Products

Purchasing your organic pest control can be as simple as buying a safer, more natural product instead of a chemical-laden one

Some ideas include the following:

Many biopesticides use safe, naturally occurring protozoa, bacteria and fungi to keep out unwanted species.

Botanical insecticides are made from plants, as the name suggests. For instance, neem oil is a common all-natural insecticide, fungicide and miticide. You can find it in a concentrate for these purposes.

Low-toxicity fungicides also count as an organic method.

Organic scented sprays can repel pests, like deer repellant.

Irish Spring soap has a very strong smell that might repel certain pests. Hang bars of the soap from trees in mesh bags.