What You Need to Know About Silverfish and Firebrats
These pests make their homes across the U.S. and are often mistaken for house centipedes. Silverfish and firebrats have flat, elongated bodies 1/3 to 3/4 inches long. They are more broad towards the head and taper at the rear in a somewhat carrot shape. They are wingless and covered in scales with two long antennae at the head and three long, similar appendages at the rear. The difference between the silverfish and the firebrat is their color. The silverfish is usually a silvery or pearl-gray. The firebrat is gray, with mottled spots and dark bands.
Both of these pests hide during the day and are active at night. Often they are spotted when an object they are hiding behind is moved and they dart out to find a new hiding spot. Silverfish prefer cool, damp places and are most often found in the basement, bathroom or kitchen.
On the other end, the firebrat prefers dark places above 90 degrees and can be found around ovens, furnaces, boiler rooms, near fireplaces and in insulation around hot water pipes. However, despite their preferences, firebrats and silverfish can be found anywhere in the home. Because they are looking for food, they most often take up residence in bookcases, closets and any other places where books, clothing or starchy foods are available. Very often you may find a silverfish in your bathtub or sink. Most likely, they were seeking a cool, damp place and fell in, unable to climb up the sides of the tub or sink.
Both of these insects can live without food for months, though that doesn’t stop them from trying. Items they most usually munch on are cereals, moist wheat flour, books, any paper on which there is glue or paste, sizing in paper (including wallpaper), book bindings and starch in clothing.
Populations of silverfish and firebrats do not build up quickly. Therefore, if there is a large infestation in a house or apartment, that is an indicator of a longtime infestation. In order to keep silverfish and firebrats away, keep basements, laundry rooms and bathrooms clean and dry. Plug up holes in spaces around pipes and repair leaks in the plumbing. Periodically clean out closets, go through books and magazines to ensure that the insects haven’t gotten to them. It is essential to keep foods in containers with tight lids.
Often these precautions will work, but they are sometimes not enough. For large infestations, household sprays containing various pyrethroids (such as bifenthrin, tetrameter, phenothrin), dusts, boric acid powder and foggers (use foggers only with an extreme infestation) should help control them.
Granular and dust baits can be very effective if they are placed near the pests’ shelter rather than food sources. When using aerosol spray, apply it to the cracks in doors, window casings, baseboards, closets, bookcases and places where pipes go through the walls. Follow the directions carefully, as some of these may contain oil solution and could start a fire if used near gas or electric motors.
When using dusts or boric acid powder, apply them with a bulb duster, powder blower or plastic squeeze bottle, leaving a fine layer of material in the area to be treated. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices, following the label directions closely.
It is important to point out that insecticides are not needed if there are only a few silverfish or firebrats here and there. These can easily be killed with a magazine or newspaper and disposed of. Dehumidifying also helps because it reduces the moisture content of the air. Silica gels such as drione dust act as a desiccant and are often successful. Regular vacuuming of cracks and crevices can also be a good way to remove silver fish or firebrats from your home.
These preventative measures should work within a few weeks, however, if they don’t, the silverfish and firebrats may be coming from untreated areas. Eliminating water sources and treating these areas should solve the problem.
Silverfish and Firebrats, UC IPM Online
How to Get Rid of Silverfish, doyourownpestcontrol.com
