Keep Those Silverfish, Firebrats at Bay With Good Housekeeping

Silverfish and their lesser-known relatives, firebrats, are similar insects. Both are unwelcome visitors in the home.

What They Look Like

Both are wingless and slender, and have an elongated triangular shape with long, twin, threadlike antennae and three tails.

The most common silverfish is silvery, but other species may be marked with black lines or have a gunmetal look. In contrast, firebrats sport markings that give their backs a gray-and-brown mottled appearance. Silverfish, about three-eighths of an inch long, are smaller than firebrats.

Where They Are, What They Eat

Silverfish like cool, damp environments. Firebrats, as their name suggests, prefer high temperatures and are frequently found around ovens, furnaces and hot-water pipes. They are common pests in bakeries.

Silverfish and firebrats are both active after dark and feed on a broad diet of substances high in starch, protein and sugar. These include flour, cereals, dried scraps of meat or other foods, syrup, glue, paste, sugar, paper, bookbindings, some fabrics and wallpaper. Silverfish are known for being able to go a long time without food.

Their eggs are deposited in remote places such as crevices. The insects don’t thrive if they are frequently disturbed. You can discourage them by vacuuming often and attacking their hiding places.

Preventive Measures

In general, good housekeeping is the key to keeping both insects away by denying them food and shelter. Put all food in the refrigerator or in containers that close tightly. Clean up all crumbs and spills immediately. Keep counters, floors and shelves immaculate. Clean garage, storage areas and around furnaces. Have clothing cleaned or aired before you store it.

Store trash outside in containers that are cleaned regularly and have secure tops. Caulk cracks and crevices, and seal house openings, such as around appliance connections or where utilities enter. Fix leaky plumbing.

Getting Rid of Them

Once the insects enter the house, eradicate them with a surface spray, space spray or powder insecticide. Apply a surface or residual spray with a spray gun, a pressurized can or a brush to places where the insects breed or travel. Residual sprays leave a fine film that continues to kill insects on contact. Dust an insecticide powder, which usually has a residual effect, in breeding and feeding areas.

To rid a home of an infestation, apply a residual insecticide to infested areas. You can use a spray or dust that contains propoxur, chlorpyrifos, or diazinon, available in hardware stores.

Dust or spray behind books, around boxes, and into cracks in walls and flooring. Treat other hiding places such as baseboards, door and window frames, drawers, shelves, closets, crevices and holes where ducts and pipes pass through walls and floors.

Dust or spray behind stoves and under cabinets, counters and sinks. Remove shelf paper, spray and replace it after the spray dries. Don’t overlook hanging items such as pictures and wall clocks.

Dust or blow silica aerogel or boric-acid powder through small openings into wall voids or where pipes or other utilities pass, and under low equipment.

Caution: Be sure all dusts and sprays are out of the reach of children and pets. Don’t let the pesticides drift onto food, eating and cooking utensils, or food preparation surfaces. Before using any insecticide, read the label instructions and use it only as directed.