Nontoxic Silverfish Removal
Silverfish are household pests which are found throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Silverfish range from grey to green in color and are known for their fish-like movements. While silverfish are harmless to humans and do not bite, they can cause a great deal of damage to homes and valuables by eating wallpaper, books, photo albums, textiles, and other starch or glue-based products. While silverfish are persistent, they can be exterminated cheaply through natural means.
Locating Silverfish
You can find silverfish near starches, sugars and proteins that are found in your pantry. They may also be found around wallpaper paste, starched fabrics, synthetic fibers and cereals. If you notice silverfish activity, remove any valuables such as books and photo albums and put them into plastic bags. Signs of silverfish infestation include strange notches, holes or scrapings found around wallpaper areas or in the pages of books.
To draw out silverfish, set some bait near infected areas. Create bait by coating both sides of a standard index card with a mixture of water and flour and placing them near the suspected infestation location.
Getting Rid of Silverfish
Silverfish enjoy moist, dark areas between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower the moisture level in your home by fixing leaks in pipes and faucets and using dehumidifiers in rooms that are susceptible to moisture. Use electric heaters to heat and dry infected rooms to above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This will force silverfish into areas that are easier to control.
Keep up on your housekeeping because silverfish may feed on the debris left on your floor--silverfish can go up to a year without feeding so a few crumbs can go a long way.
Repair or remove wallpaper where there are opportunities for silverfish to crawl beneath the wall paper and feed off the glue. Make sure to cover or fill cracks in walls around pipes (these are silverfish entry points) with caulk or plaster.
Standard roach traps from your local hardware store work very well against silverfish infestations, although roach traps can get expensive if the infestation is large. Instead, make a jar trap. Make a jar trap by first cleaning a canning or Mason jar and covering it with masking tape. The masking tape will help the silverfish climb up the outside of the jar. Once they reach the top, they will tumble into the jar and be trapped. Use starch-based food items as bait such. Once captured, drown the silverfish with soapy hot water.
As a natural silverfish extermination method, cedar oil has been known to be effective. You can purchase cedar oil extermination products such as CedarCide and non-toxic silverfish and spider traps made by BioCare.
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