Silverfish are fast-running, nocturnal insects that tend to shy away from light. They have flattened, scale-covered, slender bodies with long antennae and, as the name suggests, most are silver in colour. Silverfish can be found in a range of outdoor and indoor locations including leaf litter, rotting logs or under bark, cavity walls, roof voids, subfloor areas or undisturbed indoor areas such as storage rooms, bookcases or linen cupboards.
Types of Silverfish
Across Australia, there are 28 known species of silverfish, however only 5 species of silverfish are considered pests in urban areas. Throughout Joondalup and the northern suburbs of Perth, pest silverfish all come from within the Lepismatidae family of silverfish which are typically less than 20mm in length and feed primarily on paper products and fabric found around the home.
Problems caused by Silverfish
For most people, silverfish become a problem when they invade buildings in search of food. Silverfish are mostly omnivorous however pest silverfish have been found to have a preference for starchy materials and can cause considerable damage to papers, photographs, books, cottons, linens and/or wallpaper if left untreated.
If you have concerns about silverfish, please call WA Pestsaway Joondalup on 0419 374 374
