If you live in New Orleans, you might have noticed more silverfish in and around your home lately. These common pests are especially vexing for people in Louisiana. But even if you don't live in this area, you are not safe from their intrusion. These insects can exist anywhere conditions are ideal for them.
In this article, we’ll discuss why silverfish love to nest in Louisiana and surrounding areas, and how you can prevent them from invading your home.
What are Silverfish?
Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects that are usually one-third of an inch long. They have silver-gray bodies with long, slender antennae.
They prefer to live in humid climates and dark areas. They feed on carbohydrates and starches found in many household items like grains, vegetables, fibers, sugars, fabrics, books, and paper goods. Stored cereals and pet foods are also go-to treats for these pests.
Why are Silverfish Found in New Orleans Homes?
You might be wondering why silverfish like Louisiana homes. Well, it's our hospitality. New Orleans provides the perfect environment for them to live in, sometimes with food and a nice place to sleep.
The city’s hot and humid atmosphere allows these pests to make their homes in different parts of your property. Houses with attics, basements, and crawl spaces, as well as bookshelves, behind furniture, and in kitchen cabinets, give silverfish great places to hide. Without careful food storage and cleaning habits, there is also easy access to food sources that will attract and keep these insects hanging around.
Ways to Prevent Silverfish Infestations
Once you know about what places silverfish like, you can try to keep them away from these areas by making these places unattractive for them. You can either try to drive them away from the places they like or set up traps in the places they go to.
Drive silverfish away: Be careful about using poisons and natural repellants
There is a lot of information out there about placing silverfish poisons or natural repellants in the places where silverfish like to go in your house. Be careful when using poisons and even natural repellants. Make sure you find out about harmful effects to pets, children, plants, and property.
· SILVERFISH POISON
You can purchase silverfish poisons from a home goods or hardware store. These poisons are placed around the home to eliminate silverfish. CAUTION: Read labels to find out about possible harmful effects. This is not a good pest control treatment to use in homes with pets and children.
· NATURAL REPELLANTS
There is a lot of advice out there, especially on the internet, about using natural repellants like cedar oil, other essential oils, and spices. Supposedly, silverfish hate these strong smells. CAUTION: There has been little to no scientific evidence for these methods. Bay leaves and some spices are toxic to animals. Also, these items don’t have labels with specific information about using them as bug repellants in your house. So, it is harder to find information about effects on children, pets, plants, and property.
Set up traps in the places silverfish like
· ROLL UP A NEWSPAPER
Since they like dark spaces, place rolled-up newspaper traps around the home to catch and monitor silverfish. After a few days, check the newspaper to see if you’ve caught any. Then, dispose of the newspaper and replace it with a new trap.
· SET UP STICKY TRAPS
Another effective way to control or prevent infestations is to set up sticky traps in your home. You can purchase these traps from a hardware store. Or make them yourself using glue and cardboard or jars.
Stop silverfish where they enter
· SEAL OFF ENTRY POINTS
Silverfish enter your home through cracks, holes, and crevices in your home. You can seal off these potential entrances, like in window sills, vents, doorways, or attic and floor boards, with plaster or a mesh screen if you need to maintain airflow.
· DON’T CARRY THEM IN YOURSELF
Beware of silverfish that hitchhike in boxes and bags being carried into your home. They especially like the glue used to bind books. Check inside stored items to make sure they are not infested with these pests.
How to Get Rid of Silverfish
If you have a silverfish infestation, you need to act quickly to protect your home. Here are a few things you can do to get rid of silverfish:
· CLEAN YOUR HOME
These pests love a mess. Clutter gives them a place to hide, and they are attracted to any kind of open food. Clear out closets, vacuum and mop areas where these insects may be hiding, and clean up any food spills on the floor immediately.
· TRY TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE
Since silverfish prefer humid climates, monitor the temperature of your home. Keep your home cool and dry to help prevent silverfish from entering and feeling at home inside your house. If you have an HVAC system, make sure to check it often and try to keep the humidity levels low. If you live in New Orleans or other areas in the South, you know there are places, like your attic, that the temperature cannot be regulated.
· CALL A PROFESSIONAL
Pest control companies offer the experience to tackle all different kinds of pest infestations. At Dial One Franklynn Pest Control, we have seen virtually every type of pest problem imaginable. So, we have the knowledge and experience to handle silverfish infestations, give you peace of mind, and make your home pest free.
Call Dial One for Help
Silverfish are not at all dangerous for your health. However, they can cause damage to your home. This can be anything from damaged wallpaper and ruined fabrics or books to food contamination.
If you find yourself dealing with a silverfish infestation, make sure to contact a reliable New Orleans pest control company. At Dial One Franklynn Pest Control, we have been providing quality termite and pest control services in the New Orleans area for more than 50 years. We have experience eliminating silverfish infestations, as well as preventing them from returning.
To learn more about our silverfish pest control and to get an estimate, contact us today. Our pest control experts are just a call away.
