Freeing your Home of Silverfish and Other Creepy Crawlies When it comes to home invaders, the most dangerous and most pervasive are those that are smallest. Little creepy crawlies are often the most difficult to get rid of and the hardest to track down. The variety of insects that want to live in your home is quite mind-boggling. One of the creepiest of these has to be the Silverfish. What are Silverfish? According to pest control Brisbane experts, silverfish love warm, humid environments and love living in books and other starchy fibers. They don’t fly, are small – up to an inch in length and are wider near the head than the tail. They can be quite tough to get rid of because they hide in the book bindings. Books that are in boxes are especially attractive to them. Getting Rid of Silverfish Another species that looks a lot like Silverfish is the Firebrat. You first need to check that you have one and not the other. They look alike but prefer very different environments. It’s fairly safe to say that if books are the target, you probably have Silverfish and not Firebrats. Another difference is the color – Firebrats are usually mottled black and white whereas as Silverfish range from green to silver-grey. Get to the Route of the Problem You need to get to the source of the problem. A good way to do this is to make a thin paste of flour and water and to paint it onto both sides of a few pieces of cardboard. Allow the cardboard to dry and then put them down in places where you think that the Silverfish might be hiding. Check the cardboard for signs of Silverfish having fed on it – check for edges that are notched and odd scrapings. Dry it Out Get rid of any excess dampness. You need to get rid of as much humidity as possible. You should fix any leaky pipes and consider installing a dehumidifier. You can also lay down a desiccant like diatomaceous earth in order to reduce the humidity. Any termites Brisbane expert will advise you to make the environment as hostile as possible for them. Stop Feeding the Creepy Crawlies Feeding your goldfish is good; feeding your Silverfish is bad. Get rid of any infested papers and make sure that there are no access points or hiding spots for any Silverfish. You want to seal off any cracks with something like silicone. The infested books that you want to keep should be placed in plastic bags with some sort of desiccant and then put it into the freezer for at least three days. Should the

infestation have spread to the whole bookcase, you will need to take measures to dry out the room and may need to call in a professional for help.

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