It happens to everyone, sooner or later, to encounter silverfish. Although his name resembles that of some magical fairy tale character, his presence in the house is never welcome.
The scientific name, to tell the truth, gives a better idea of the repulsion they arouse at first sight: Lepisma Saccharina, where the saccharin wants to indicate their favorite food, sugar and any food that contains it.
But let’s go step by step and clarify the most important problem. These insects are not dangerous to health at all. They are harmless, have no sting, do not bite, do not inject venom and cause almost no damage to the home environment. In fact, they do some damage: they are paper-hungry and whether they sneak into a valuable book or not, reading it will become impossible!
And they certainly don’t look good. Their silvery body is slimy and they have very long antennae. If you try to grab them, they slip away like weights. They integrate perfectly and slide through unreachable corners. There they can live for months without food and, in the meantime, they can reproduce rapidly. And it doesn’t end there: they have a much longer life than any other parasite.
But with this trick, getting rid of him will be a girl’s game, or rather, a Donna Up!
Ready? Begin!
If you see silverfish in your house, run for cover immediately. Do this!
We have anticipated that silverfish feed on starches and sugars, present not only in food, but also in wood, textiles and paper. This is how the four walls become their natural habitat par excellence.
Even if you don’t see them, but find yellow stains on books or clothes, then you are in for an infestation. After all, it only takes a few to quickly find yourself fighting a colony, because, as already specified, they reproduce quickly.
Although they are harmless, it is best to get rid of them. Prepare a bait! Cut a potato or loaf of bread into small pieces, sprinkle with sugar and place them in a bottle or container that they can barely come out of.
They will be attracted by their fine sense of smell and will fall into a trap, with no possibility of escape.
To keep your home immaculate, always ventilate rooms to reduce humidity levels. Keep food tightly closed and perfume the room with sprays containing essential oils such as peppermint, lavender and bay leaf.