Silverfish

Silverfish have a teardrop shaped appearance, with three long tail-like appendages on the posterior of the body. They are about 1/2 - 3/4 inches in length, no including the tails. Silverfish is the common name for species of this group whose bodies are covered with silvery scales. Immature silverfish are similar in appearance to adults except for size-they are smaller. Silverfish are nocturnal and prefer to hide in cracks and crevices. They are typically found up high in a structurte, usually associated with a top floor or attic setting.(Although with a severe infestation, they may be located throughout a home). They main food source of silverfish is cellulose, starch, and dead insects.

From the roof areas they can easily gain access into the insulation in void areas and into sheetrock boards with its glue and paper coating below. You often find them in skylights and ceiling soffit areas as well as the canister-type light shades in a ceiling. Silverfish are excellent climbers. They prefer areas of high temperatures(70-85 F) and high relative humidity(70-100%)

They are often introduced into a building with cardboard boxes of books or papers after a move from a previously infested area. They feed upon books and bookbindings, envelopes, gummed labels, wallpaper, and wallpaper pastes. They can be serious pests for libraries and museums for these reasons.

Outdoors, the four lined silverfish can be found in mulch and flower beds, and are known to live under the bark of eucalyptus trees in California. The gray silverfish is an indoor pest and transports itself throughout a structure by using the heating and air ducts.

Environmental modifications, including controlling or limiting moisture in a structure, can go a long way to preventing silverfish from spreading.  If the temperature or the humidity in unfavorable, the silverfish cannot survive. Insecticides such as dusts in wall voids or attac areas can help; but insulation will need to be peeled back first prior to the application. Baiting with gradular baits will also help. Spray applications of a crack and crevice nature will often help. Finally, a vacuum may be helpful to pick up both live and dead silverfish. Be sure to dispose of the bag, so as not to spread the infestation further.