Are Richmond, VA Silverfish Dangerous?
February 25, 2021
While there are some pests that are common home-invaders, we don’t always necessarily know them by name. Instead, given how common they can be, you probably recognize them by appearance when they come into your Richmond home. One such pest in the Richmond area is the silverfish. These small, scaly pests love moisture and feed on a variety of materials found in homes. They frequently make their way inside of homes in search of food and shelter. In doing so, they can damage, destroy, and contaminate various elements in our homes. It is important for you to know the preventive measures you can take to help keep silverfish out of your Richmond home. Should your home become infested, you need to know the effective silverfish control solutions you can count on to get them out.
What Do Silverfish Look Like?
Silverfish are small teardrop-shaped pests that are brown or gray in color. However, they derive their name from the silvery scales that cover their bodies, giving them a fish-like appearance. Moreover, silverfish have two pairs of antennae on either side of their bodies.
Silverfish are very fast-moving pests which is why they are known to startle many homeowners. Additionally, they are often found in high-moisture areas such as in stacks of paper, under cardboard boxes, and within other debris found in basements and storage areas. They will often wriggle out and scurry away when their hiding places are moved or disturbed.
Silverfish prefer areas with lots of moisture so you will often find them in bathrooms, basements, crawlspaces, and other storage areas. You might also find silverfish in the kitchen as they can find moisture around the sink and also feed on a variety of items found in the cupboard.
Are Silverfish Dangerous?
Silverfish are largely considered to be nuisance pests as they do not pose any direct threats to us humans. However, if they infest your Richmond home, they can cause damage to various items inside of it. They will feed on certain materials such as cereals, books, papers, wallpaper, and anything in the cupboard with either sugars or carbohydrates in them. Therefore, not only can silverfish damage your property, but they can also contaminate food which means you need to spend your hard-earned money on repairing or replacing items you otherwise wouldn’t have had to. Although they may not be as threatening or damaging as other pests, overall, silverfish are unsightly pests to have around the home. If you want to keep them out of your Richmond home, you need to know the preventative steps you can take to better secure it from these unwanted pests.
Silverfish Prevention Techniques
When it comes to silverfish prevention, you need to both address moisture issues in your home and seal off any potential entry points. This includes:
- Use dehumidifiers to address moisture issues in your home, especially poorly-ventilated areas such as crawlspaces, basements, and storage areas.
- Fix any leaky pipes or fixtures in your home.
- Store paper goods in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Store any dry goods in your cupboard in airtight containers.
- Seal any cracks in your home’s foundation and install door sweeps and weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows.
What To Do If Silverfish Invade Your Home
If you do find yourself dealing with a silverfish infestation in your Richmond home, contact the professionals here at Go-Forth Pest Control immediately. Not only will we effectively eliminate any infestation with which you are dealing, but we also offer several ongoing residential pest control services to ensure your home stays silverfish and pest-free all year long. So, give us a call today. After all, it’s your home, not the pests.
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