Are Silverfish In Dallas Dangerous?

Silverfish are versatile insects. They can be nuisance pests, like Asian lady beetles and stink bugs. They can be property damaging pests, like clothing moths and carpet beetles. And they can be pantry pests, like Indian meal moths, beetles, and weevils. Fortunately, that's where their versatility ends. Silverfish don't bite or sting. They don't have venom. They aren't known to spread diseases. And, while it may be surprising, they don't do structural damage to homes the way termites and carpenter ants do. In all the most meaningful ways, silverfish aren't dangerous. But you should not allow these insects to live in your Dallas home. Let's take a closer look at how they can impact you.

Silverfish As Nuisance Pests

An adult silverfish is about3/4 of an inch long. That isn't very big, but it is big enough to be annoying when you see one. It can be a nuisance to keep seeing these pests. It can be even more of a nuisance when you keep noticing the damage these insects are doing to your stuff.

Silverfish As Property-Damaging Pests

The list of items these insects can damage is quite extensive. Keep in mind that they won't ruin all your stuff, and they won't damage your belongings quickly. But you never know when they will strike or what they will damage. Here are a few ways you may discover silverfish damage:

• You might take a book out of storage and find the picture on the cover chewed off.
• You may open a book and find holes chewed through the pages.
• You might pull out some photos and find a face missing from an important photo.
• You might retrieve the wedding dress your great-grandmother wore and find holes chewed in it.
• You might open a box filled with antique clothes or costumes and think you have a clothing moth infestation.
• You could find holes in the clothing you have stored in your drawers or closets.
• You may pull out an important document and discover that some important information has been chewed off.
• You may go into your guest room and find that portions of the wallpaper have been chewed off.
• You may find holes in your furniture.
• You may find holes in your curtains or draperies.

Silverfish As Pantry Pests

Pantry pests are somewhat unique among pests. It is more common for pantry pests to come into your home as eggs that have been laid in a food product than it is for them to come into your home from the outside. Silverfish are known to lay eggs in food, and they have been found in unopened food packages, but it is more common for them to come in from the outside. Once inside, a silverfish is prone to get into stored food because it feeds on paper and cardboard. If it chews a hole into a package and finds a food source that has carbohydrates, such as coffee, sugar, flour, or cereal, it will keep on eating. The more access it has to your food, the more it will be able to reproduce.

If you're seeing silverfish in your home, there are a few things you can do to manage them:

• Store paper and clothing items in sealed, plastic totes.
• Store pantry foods in sealed plastic or glass containers.
• Install dehumidifiers in areas of your home that are humid. Silverfish need humidity in order to survive.
• Use the fan in your bathroom when you take a bath or shower. This will vent the moisture out and reduce the humidity in your bathroom.
• Refrain from keeping water in your jetted tub between uses.
• Fix leaking faucets or plumbing drips.
• Inspect the exterior of your home and seal cracks in your foundation walls or gaps around your doors, windows, pipes, and wire conduits.

Silverfish Control

If you're seeing silverfish in your home and you want them gone, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite. We provide industry-leading pest control in Dallas. Our licensed pest professionals know what is required to get control of silverfish and other destructive pests. Reach out to us today and speak with one of our agents. We can help.