This insect can become a dangerous pest in the home.
The silver fish, scientifically named Lepisma Saccharina and also popularly known as ‘sardineta’ or ‘moisture bug’it can become a major pest in the home.
It is habitual see these insects in the houses because they have adapted to living in the facilities in which humans are present, especially in the darkest and most humid areassuch as bathrooms, basements or kitchens.
It is not strange, since its main food source is starch and there are many products that contain this substance. So wherever there is a fair amount of paper, silicone, moldsugar, hair, dirt or even fabrics such as cotton, linen or artificial fibers, it is common to see the silverfish.
Lepisma saccharina It has an elongated shape and has two long antennae on its head and a filament as a tail.. Its main characteristic, hence its popular name, is that all specimens are silver in the way that fish are and that their body emits flashes of silver depending on how it reflects the light.
The activity of the silver minnow it concentrates mainly at night and their nests and hiding places are usually in cracks and crevices, which is why it is common to find them near skirting boards or door and window frames. Over there they can easily find shelter as soon as they detect human presence.
Adults can live up to 8 years and females lay up to 100 eggs each time. Its favorite place is the small crevices, since in them it can deposit its offspring without fear of being seen.
Silverfish sting
The silverfish can become a authentic and dangerous pest in the home or in places where there is a lot of accumulation of paper, such as libraries or public institutions. as he flees from the light, it is easy to find it in dark and humid places, or during the night. It is precisely then when it can get closer to the human being because it remains motionless while resting.
And if it comes close and stings me, what can happen? the silver minnow It is a harmless insect in this sense because it does not bite humans. The risks that its presence entails are other since, as we indicated above, it can become a pest with dire consequences if there are a sufficient number of specimens.
So, although the silver fish does not bitethe truth is that it can cause significant economic damage from infecting foodattract other insects or eat products with a lot of starch, such as books or photographs.
How to get rid of the silverfish
The most important thing to prevent the presence of Lepisma Saccharina in our home is keep it as clean as possible. Vacuum often to remove traces of hair, dead skin and lint that become their foodas well as keeping humidity at bay and ventilating every day, even if only for a few minutes, are gestures that will help us prevent the proliferation of the silverfish.
Another essential action is seal cracks and crevices but not with silicone, but with cement or silicone-free sealing paste). So we will prevent them from taking refuge in those places and, in addition, we will eliminate one of their main sources of food by not having more silicone at home than is strictly necessary to seal some parts of the bathroom or kitchen.
can also be use various household insecticides that will help us put a stop to the silverfish because it will eliminate many of the specimens that are already at home. In this case, it must be ensured that the product is not toxic to humans or the pets that we may have at home.