As of: April 5, 2024, 3:41 p.m
By: Maksym Brik
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Silverfish are found in the bathroom and kitchen. Many people find them uncomfortable in their homes. If you want to fight the animals, you can prevent them.
Hamm - silverfish or scientifically, Lepisma saccharina (literally sugar guest), everyone has probably seen in the house or apartment. The crawlers are basically harmless to humans and, because they are afraid of light, are largely inconspicuous. At best, if you turn on the light in the bathroom at night, you can see them darting into their hiding places. Nevertheless, many people find the insects unpleasant. They can also be an indication of larger problems in the house.
Silverfish in the house - where they come from and how to get rid of them
Silverfish are urinary insects. In one form or another, they have been around for 300 million years. Nowadays they are about a centimeter long (without antennae) and are easy to recognize by their silver-grey, scaly, streamlined bodies. As the scientific name suggests, the animals feed mainly on sugar, but also starch. In addition, they require a humidity of 80 percent.
These two facts together explain why animals like to spend time in kitchens and bathrooms. They find food in crumbs and leftover food, in dander, mites, mold and even in starchy glue or wallpaper paste.
So starving silverfish is not a strategy. Even if one could avoid leaving behind tiny amounts of sugar or starch, the animals would endure hunger for months. The correct point of attack, on the other hand, is the humidity.
If the house is dry, it will not attract silverfish
To prevent silverfish infestation, the Federal Environment Agency recommends creating unfavorable living conditions for the insects, reports wa.de. Humidity can be reduced by ventilation and heating in damp rooms. Extremely damp areas (e.g. due to water damage) should be structurally removed as quickly as possible. The Federal Environment Agency recommends regularly vacuuming cracks and crevices or sealing them completely to prevent animals from hiding. For the same purpose, drains should be closed at night and regularly doused with boiling water.
The Federal Environment Agency also informs that the animals, at least in cellars, “are being decimated by their natural enemies”. These include the earwig, but also spiders. Anyone who has set up a spider farm in their basement can unleash their eight-legged army on the intruders.
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The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center recommends a house trick against insects. The animals' preference for sugar and starch can be exploited. A piece of newspaper with honey or a sliced potato makes the bait. This goes into an open plastic bag that is placed in a dark place. The animals would then collect in the bag overnight and could simply be disposed of outdoors.
Useful co-eaters or signs of a serious problem?
According to the Federal Environment Agency, the insects themselves pose no danger. So there is no evidence of disease transmission. In addition, silverfish feed on house dust mites, among other things, which is why “they can also be viewed as beneficial insects.” On the other hand, the vermin can only cause minor damage to wallpaper, textiles or books.
What is more unpleasant is that the animals can also be a sign of excessive humidity in the living space. If there is a severe infestation, it might be worth consulting a mold expert. The best way to check how severe an infestation is is at night. When you turn on the light in the bathroom or kitchen, the animals usually immediately try to flee into their hiding places. This allows them to be localized. According to the Federal Environment Agency, anyone affected by a severe infestation should contact a pest controller rather than trying to combat it themselves with honey traps and an army of spiders.
Silverfish are widespread in Germany and can be found in households all year round. A new invader, however, is the Asian hornet. This has recently been spreading in North Rhine-Westphalia and is already causing considerable damage.