Silverfish are small, wingless insects with a silvery sheen and a tapered tail, and they are most active at night. In Birkdale, the humid climate and warm roof spaces give them ideal conditions. They feed on starches and sugars found in paper, book bindings, wallpaper paste, cotton, linen and even crumbs, so they turn up in wardrobes, bookshelves, linen cupboards and storage boxes. Yellow stains and ragged holes are common signs.
Most silverfish problems start in the roof space, where large numbers can live in insulation and move down into cupboards through gaps around light fittings and cornices. The crew we book usually treats the roof space with a dust that settles into the insulation, then treats inside wardrobes, cupboards, bookshelves and along skirting boards in affected rooms. Treatments are placed out of reach in wall voids and roof spaces, rather than across open shelves or inside drawers where clothes are kept.
- Roof space treatment where access allows
- Wardrobes and linen cupboards
- Bookshelves and storage boxes
- Bathrooms and laundries with poor airflow
- Garages with stored clothing or paper
Before the visit, take items off wardrobe and cupboard floors so the crew can reach the edges. Afterwards, store papers, photos and seasonal clothing in sealed plastic tubs rather than cardboard, which silverfish feed on. Run exhaust fans, open windows on dry days and keep an eye on leaks, since lower humidity makes your home far less inviting for them.
Silverfish often turn up alongside cockroaches, so many Birkdale homes add them to a general pest visit. Photos, certificates and other keepsakes are worth storing in sealed tubs. You get the price upfront. To book silverfish control, call 07 3543 7767.
