Do Silverfish Cause Structural Damage?

You may have noticed silverfish, sometimes called bristletails, skittering around your home. While they may look creepy, they don’t cause any harm to humans and are often just looking for a food source. Luckily for homeowners, they won’t cause any structural damage to your home, but silverfish can cause damage to your belongings.

What is a Silverfish?

Silverfish can be identified by their flat-bodies, two antennae, and three tail-like appendages. They are sometimes mistaken for earwigs or termites, but they easily stand out because of their three-pronged tail. Like cockroaches, they are able to flatten their bodies extremely thin allowing them to squeeze into small crevices in your home. Silverfish prefer warm, humid environments, so you’ll often see them in damp areas such as your kitchen, laundry room, closets, garages, attic, and basement. If your house has a crawl space, it’s also likely you’ll find them there too.

What Kind of Damage Do They Cause?

Silverfish are one of those household pests that won’t cause damage to the structure of your home, but they will cause damage to items in your home. They come in through small entry points in search of carbohydrates, their main food source. Silverfish damage things like book bindings, paper, linens, cardboard boxes, and sometimes wood. Silverfish are also attracted to your pantry, so it’s important to keep items in airtight containers to prevent silverfish from getting into your food.

Are Silverfish Harmful?

While silverfish are a nuisance pest, they aren’t harmful to humans. They don’t bite or sting, and they don’t spread diseases. However, if you have a silverfish problem, you’ll want to call a pest control company right away in order to protect your household items.

How To Get Rid of Silverfish

If you have a silverfish infestation in your home, call Classic Pest Control and Insulation! We can rid your home of any pest problems and make sure they don’t come back. Schedule a consultation with our outstanding professional pest control team, or check our service map to see if we serve your Washington home. Classic’s pest control services also include removing carpenter ants, wasps, bees, termites, cockroaches, rodents, and other household pests.