Silverfish / Firebrats

Silverfish / Firebrats can infest various and obscure places, this one was is in an outside rodent station. Usually found within structures and notorious for eating books, book bindings, papers and old documents. The quickest and easiest way of transporting them into your home is by way of old storage boxes or materials which they love to infest. Silverfish are usually uniformly silver, while Firebrats are mottled gray-brown color. They are usually associated with damp areas, active at night and hide during the day. Mainly nuisance pests, usually causing little damage. They do not cause disease and they don’t come up drains. The best method is reduce the dampness and they will usually disappear.

I think if you have a crawlspace and/or attic, this would be the first place to check. Those areas are noted for undisturbed and dampness, depending as well on geological areas of the country. I would then check areas of bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchen and basements  and don’t forget to check stockpiles of books or magazines. I also think baits work best on getting rid of the little pests.

So here are a few tips:

1. Fix any leaks.
2. Caulk any opening in wall and any areas where they could slip in.
3. If you see 1, take action. If your system doesn’t get rid of them – Call a Pest Management Professional such as ProBest. 602-249-7378