Since we're taking about pests - Silverfish

**monkeywrangler71** · 05-13-2010, 08:26 AM

Anyone have them? Anyone know how to discourage them?

I only see a few in the bathroom and if I leave stuff on the basement stairs. I hope I'm not packing up their babies in my boxes.

Does anyone do anything for them? I just try to keep clothes off the bathroom and laundry room floor, clean regularly and kill the ones I see. If they're in my moving boxes though, they're going to have a feast.

**beks37** · 05-13-2010, 09:47 AM

I hate silverfish! At my parent's house, we always used to get them and my parent's would just bomb the attic with some sort of bug bomb and they would go away.

**Contrary Housewife** · 05-13-2010, 11:49 AM

Had them a few years ago. They like dark places and they eat paper and cardboard. We got a spray, and rather than spray everything, we sprayed sheets of paper we had printed out with "silverfish poison" on them, and placed those into boxes and in areas they might live. That seemed to fix the problem.

**Liane** · 05-13-2010, 11:56 AM

They like damp areas like basements and bathrooms. Get a spray that is organic or not-your choice and spray the perimeter of your house outside and around the edges of the house inside and you will not have to worry about silverfish or other bugs. This is what the exterminator told us to do. We do it ourselves and no longer have to pay him.

**savvy_sniper** · 05-13-2010, 12:05 PM

Silverfish like paper, starch, humidity, and darkness. Our house had a pretty severe infestation when we bought it. I have been using bug spray on a regular basis and I pulled up all the old shelf liner and put down the rubberized stuff.

Get rid of newspaper, cardboard boxes, paper bags and put all your flour, cereal, etc. in plastic containers and get rid of the boxes. Find and repair any leaks/drips around faucets, tubs, showers, etc.

I don't see them in the bathroom or laundry room any more. But I do still see them in ONE particular kitchen cabinet. I don't know why. But I am going to take everything out, spray the cabinet, wait a couple of days, clean it, and put everything back.

Hopefully they will all be gone soon.

**Missourimom** · 05-13-2010, 10:13 PM

I hate silverfish. Ick!

**JerryG** · 05-13-2010, 10:52 PM

Haven't had them in a looooong while - but when I used to run the swamp cooler I did. Bay leaves (leafs?) in the cupboard used to keep them at bay, for whatever reason.

I'd forgotten about those little buggers.

It's nearly swamp season now.

**Palooka** · 05-13-2010, 10:57 PM

I experienced silverfish for the first time when I moved into my second apartment. I remember freaking out when I saw them on the ceiling and in the bathroom. Scary looking little creatures.

That is the only time I have ever seen those suckers and I hear they are super hard to get rid of. That's all I know. When I moved they never moved with me, thank goodness.

**frugalfranny** · 05-14-2010, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

Get rid of newspaper, cardboard boxes, paper bags and put all your flour, cereal, etc. in plastic containers and get rid of the boxes. Find and repair any leaks/drips around faucets, tubs, showers, etc.

They are especially attracted to books...aren't they? You can bring them in with used books.

**suebeehoney** · 05-25-2010, 08:01 AM

ugh, those nasty little eaters of books! I hate them. I see them occasionally in my bathroom, which is next to my bedroom...which is where I keep all my books!

**monkeywrangler71** · 05-25-2010, 09:55 AM

My books are in the basement - which is terrible I know, but there was no space anywhere else. I've got them about 75% packed, and so far have seen no sign of any in that room. I know they scurry away when the lights go on anyway, but still I'm encouraged. I'll need to get some pallets to put our boxes on, as everything will be going into storage and I don't want them sitting directly on the floor.

I think I will buy some of that diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it around our storage unit to keep any of the neighbour's creepy crawlies from migrating into our things.

**savvy_sniper** · 05-25-2010, 10:12 AM

I have HUGE boxes of inventory stored in my brother's garage and they are now infested with silverfish. I just purchased boric acid tablets and dropped one in each corner of the box.

I DON'T want to bring them to my house since I am pretty well rid of them now.