Why do Silverfish appear?
The silver fish scientifically called as Lepisma saccharina are considered as more primitive than cockroaches. Silver fish are common household pests throughout North America, Europe and Australia. They do not have wings and their name has come from their fish like movements. Silverfish are not poisonous to humans and they cannot bite. They depend on books, wallpaper, photos, and clothes for their food. Many people say that in every spring, summer and fall, silverfish survive in all the crevices that are available in the house.
Silverfish are basically dependant on starch that is available in magazines, books, and wall paper. To get rid of silver fish, it is better to check the places where the food source for them is available at home. Silverfish appear when there is any damp place in your house, piles of leaves, attics, kitchen, bathrooms, sinks and near any leakage in the pipes and in water storing vessels. They also appear near books, water heaters, book shelves, stoves and laundry rooms. They survive at these places as they like to have high humid environment for their living.
Decreasing the moisture content and avoiding environment with high moisture can prevent silver fish to appear. Silverfish cannot live in dry environments. They are mostly observed to be near the food items. They are seen in places where sugar, starch and protein are abundantly available. The infested part of the house has to be cleaned thoroughly; otherwise silverfish will damage those items. Borax, diatomaceous earth and insecticidal dusts can kill silverfish and be dangerous to human health.
The appearance of silverfish is a sign for dampness in that area or the area was highly humid. If they occupy the house at cracks, chinks and cavities, they stay in these places at day time. It cannot move in water. But, can crawl along the pipes outside.
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