Fight silverfish & drive them away successfully

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Do you have silverfish in your house or apartment and want to get rid of them? We explain everything to combat the little "sugar guest".

Silverfish on a white background
As a cultural follower, the silverfish prefers to live in our apartments and houses [Photo: JorgeOrtiz_1976 / Shutterstock.com]

The nimble Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) with their shiny metallic bodies can't stand bright light, they hide in cracks and crevices and eat almost everything that is not part of the building fabric in your apartment, from flakes of skin to breadcrumbs and mold heard. We explain what needs to be considered when fighting - in particular the causes of a silverfish plague should be carefully examined by those affected.

contents

  • Causes of silverfish in the house or apartment
  • Fight silverfish
    • Fight silverfish biologically
    • Fight silverfish with chemical means
    • Fight silverfish with home remedies

Silverfish are not harmful and you rarely see the light-shy animals. If you still want to get rid of the unwanted subtenants, you should deal with the causes and then with chemical pesticides or household remedies.

Causes of silverfish in the house or apartment

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are cultural followers, which is due to their preference for humid and warm habitats. It is only under these conditions that eggs are laid and that the shiny silver roommates develop. The presence of silverfish in the living area can be interpreted as a warning signal: Apparently there are places in your apartment that are very warm and humid. Since these conditions also promote the development of mold, you should get to the bottom of the cause as soon as possible. In fact, the little pests in this case can also be called beneficial insects: you prefer to eat the moldy lawn in hidden cracks and crevices and dampen the problem with it a. Therefore, when fighting silverfish, in any case do not forget to correct the reason for their presence! In this article too Home remedies for silverfish we have already discussed the causes of an infestation with silverfish in detail and what you can do to ensure that your apartment does not offer the perfect nesting conditions.

boiler room
Warm, humid places - such as the boiler room or bathroom - encourage mold and silverfish [Photo: Fabrizio Misson / Shutterstock.com]

Fight silverfish

Once the reasons for their presence have been clarified and corrective measures have been taken, you understandably still want the nimble, nocturnal silverfish to disappear. Since the prehistoric insects can get by on very little food for a long time and everything devour what we so carelessly distribute in our apartment, it can take a long time to do it starve out. We explain how you can get rid of your unwanted roommates chemically, biologically or with home remedies.

Fight silverfish biologically

Some products are advertised as being biodegradable. However, this applies to most products and should not be confused with a biological effect or a biological origin of the product. The substance cypermetrhin, for example, is biodegradable, but also very toxic to aquatic organisms and hazardous to human health. In addition, impure or stretched kieselguhr (diatomaceous earth) are available, the dusts of which can lead to painful irritation of the respiratory tract and eyes. These products are approved for organic farming and, if used correctly, are harmless to others Insects, but nobody in the house wants a product that is not one hundred percent harmless to us humans is.

We have ours Plantura ant remedy Developed in order to be able to offer a low-dust and non-health-damaging alternative. The agent InsectoSec® it contains is made from fossilized diatoms - it is also diatomaceous earth. However, our kieselguhr is so pure that there are no health problems when used. The fine powder can be sprinkled on the paths or hiding places of the silverfish or as a barrier - for example around the refrigerator, where silverfish always feel extremely comfortable. The effect is a purely physical one: the diatomaceous earth clogs the breath openings of insects and also removes a lot of moisture from them. After four days, almost 100% of the silverfish that came into contact with our ant remedy are history.

Plantura ant remedy
Our Plantura ant remedy can also be used effectively against woodlice

Fight silverfish with chemical means

If you are looking for a chemical agent against silverfish, you will find a variety of products. As a rule, however, the same substances are always responsible for its effectiveness.

Permethrin is contained in many remedies against silverfish. It works against insects and arachnids across the board: Of course, the broad spectrum of action does not spare bees and other beneficial insects. But humans can also experience skin irritation or itching when they come into contact with the skin. If the vapors of such agents are inhaled or ingested, they are headaches and irritations Respiratory and breathing difficulties as well as dizziness, nausea, sore throat and abdominal pain and vomiting are possible Follow.

Bioallethrin sounds like a biological substance, but is just a brand name under which several compounds of the substance group of allethrins are grouped together. The components are slightly toxic to humans and birds, but highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life. Insects and bees are paralyzed on contact and then die. In addition, the active ingredient is very toxic for cats: They can hardly or not at all produce an enzyme to break down the agent.

Pyrethrum is poisonous for all types of insects - including bees and beneficial insects. It is even very poisonous for fish and aquatic life. It hardly harms mammals and humans. Instead, it is quickly broken down in daylight and loses its effectiveness.

Conclusion on chemical agents against silverfish:

Chemical biocides should always be used with caution. They are capable of harming us, our children, and pets if used incorrectly. So if you can't be sure that your children or animals are sniffing around the corners of the house and accidentally come into contact with the substances, you should under no circumstances be exposed to these toxins to grab. Mainly because there are effective alternatives like ours Plantura ant remedy gives. Hence, there is no good reason to resort to harmful chemicals in the home.

Fight silverfish with home remedies

Silverfish - also known as sugar guests - can be tricked with various attractants: a trap made of potatoes and Paper, a little honey or an adhesive strip sprinkled with sugar: you have the fish in the trap and you can use them dispose. You can also exclude pests from certain areas of your home by using use natural repellants such as lavender or vinegar - two smells that silverfish do not to like. Everything to use more effectively Home remedies for silverfish and the causes of an infestation can be found in this article.