Silverfish appears in an apartment or house in case of violation of sanitary and hygienic standards in the room, the creation of “favorable” microclimatic conditions in it, and “signals” the presence of dampness.
The appearance of this insect indicates that the apartment or house has a too humid microclimate and dampness. As a result, there is a musty smell, mold and, right there, this small insect appears. Silverfish enter the premises through ventilation openings and balconies, through pipes, through cracks in the floor and walls, and also crawl from neighbors.
It is easy to recognize them: these small, 8-19 mm light brown or gray insects have no wings, the body narrowed at the end looks like scales, there are antennae in front and behind, and the legs are atrophied. Silverfish can be light, almost white, but most often have a dark color.
Their appearance is a signal that the room is very humid. And if the insect itself does not cause much harm, acting only as a “signaling device” of problems, then moisture can lead to serious troubles: rotting of beams, cracking of bricks and foundations, decomposition of plaster. Ultimately, the repair will be ruined and mold will appear.
The cause of high humidity in the apartment may be a malfunction of ventilation, leaking pipes, high humidity in the region. Of course, you need to start with a call to a specialist: check the pipes and ventilation, think about high-quality heating, and purchase a device for drying the air.
As for the insect, although the silverfish is harmless, but who is pleased to meet her in places such as a shelf with books, a bag of sugar (a lover of sweets is also called sugar silverfish, lat. Lepisma saccharina), among the photographs or papers on the table? Often you can “run into an uninvited guest in the bathroom – the conditions there are very favorable for her. How can you save the house from unpleasant tenants, and yourself from psychological discomfort?
The most important thing is to exclude the possibility of such a misfortune. To do this, first of all, carry out regular cleaning in the bathroom and create a normal microclimate. It is necessary to close up all the cracks and cracks, carry out the necessary replacement of old pipes, check the gratings. Do not allow dampness and the appearance of fungal mold. If the silverfish has already appeared in the bathroom or has been seen in other areas of the apartment, you need to stock up on special preparations that will help get rid of these insects:
- substances containing chlorine;
- copper sulfate;
- aerosol insecticides.
In addition, to prevent the appearance of silverfish, as well as other domestic pests, one should:
- try to avoid the accumulation of condensate on water pipes;
- do regular cleaning, avoiding dust in the room;
- use a heated towel rail and do not leave wet towels in the bathroom;
- if necessary, turn on the hood to create dry air;
- check the ventilation shaft and, if possible, clean it;
- ventilate the bathroom after use;
- process and dry damp corners with a heat fan.
Another effective remedy for the destruction of silverfish (effective against ants as well) is a mixture of boric acid and chalk in a ratio of 1:4. Powder mixtures are sprinkled where insects are likely to appear. The loose mixture should remain for a week, but if there are animals or small children in the house, this method is not suitable. In addition, the procedure will need to be repeated in a month to make sure that the silverfish did not have offspring, warns pest63.
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