Silverfish In Tennessee

Silverfish in Tennessee is a real problem for some homeowners and business owners. What is a silverfish you say? No, it’s not a gourmet fish that tastes great on the grill with French fries. Silverfish are an insect pest. These nuisance pests can become problematic if not taken care of. Here are 5 facts about silverfish that every Tennessee property owner should be aware of.

1. Silverfish are approximately ½ to ¾ of inch in size. They are teardrop shaped and are covered with silver scales which help to protect them from their natural insect predators. When they run, they have a quick, wiggling movement and that, coupled with their silver scales, gives them their fishlike appearance. They have three, thin, thread-like tails on the tip at the end of their abdomen.

2. They crave dry starchy substances for food. They find the glue in book bindings to be a delicacy and have been known to crawl into the binding of books and stay there for months eating the glue. They also enjoy other foods like, human hair, sugar, paper, photos, cotton, silk, linen, and dandruff.

3. They require a humid environment to survive. Inside, they are usually found in basements, bathrooms, attics, sinks, and kitchens.

4. Silverfish are nocturnal creatures. Usually people discover their presence when they turn on a light in the bathroom or kitchen and notice them in the tub or sink.

5. Silverfish can go about a year without eating anything. Their average life span is two to eight years, pending on their environment.

These nocturnal nuisances can put a real hurting on paper products. If you have a large library, or you have books stored in your attic or basement you are certainly at risk of having a silverfish presence and damaged items from them. Just because they don’t bite humans, and aren’t dangerous, doesn’t mean that they can’t be harmful to your property. Here at All-American Pest Control we have pest control programs designed to keep silverfish and all other common Middle Tennessee pests out of your home. We offer a FREE home evaluation, so what have you got to loose, besides your pests! Contact us today!