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Silverfish (pest) help!

DustPan12

Hi all,

My partner and I are in need of some help. Where we live currently has a silverfish infestation. This has been going on for months and nothing we do seems to rid the problem. We’ve been as humane as possible (traps etc) but have resorted to pesticides (permethrin) which reduced the problem drastically where we saw many originally, but they just move around it seems. I can’t find diatomaceous earth anywhere.

However, we’re moving in the next couple of weeks and I’m freaked out. I know these insects are harmless to humans. But they’re not paying rent, they’re gross and we want them gone. We are fearful of bringing them with us to our new place and are taking precautions (plastic tubs, ridding as much paper/ cardboard as possible, no boxes used for moving etc).

Do you have any other tips? Should we wash every single piece of clothing? Should we just burn the place to the ground? (Kidding!). We haven’t seen any in drawers/ on clothes. Is there a high chance of them moving with us or not? We just need some advice please before they become residents in our new place, any at all will be appreciated.

Admins, please move if incorrect thread.

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Caranica

I got diatomaceous earth from Amazon a few years ago. Not sure if they're shipping it to Ireland now though.

tvjunki

DustPan12 wrote: »

Hi all,

My partner and I are in need of some help. Where we live currently has a silverfish infestation. This has been going on for months and nothing we do seems to rid the problem. We’ve been as humane as possible (traps etc) but have resorted to pesticides (permethrin) which reduced the problem drastically where we saw many originally, but they just move around it seems. I can’t find diatomaceous earth anywhere.

However, we’re moving in the next couple of weeks and I’m freaked out. I know these insects are harmless to humans. But they’re not paying rent, they’re gross and we want them gone. We are fearful of bringing them with us to our new place and are taking precautions (plastic tubs, ridding as much paper/ cardboard as possible, no boxes used for moving etc).

Do you have any other tips? Should we wash every single piece of clothing? Should we just burn the place to the ground? (Kidding!). We haven’t seen any in drawers/ on clothes. Is there a high chance of them moving with us or not? We just need some advice please before they become residents in our new place, any at all will be appreciated.

Admins, please move if incorrect thread.

There must be a leak somewhere in the house as the silverfish live in dark damp areas. Let the landlord know that there is a leak. It must be there for a while.
Vacuum and Wash and air everything.
When the clothes are fully dry use vacuum bags. Hot wash is required.
Go to https://diatomaceousearthireland.ie/product/food-grade-diatomaceous-earth/
Most Organic Farm supply shops sell diatomaceous Earth as it is uses by most farmers. There are two grades. Make sure you spray but do not inhale. If you have a shell fish allergy you cannot use as it is made from shells. It is also good for bed bugs and flees. They are sprayed at door entries, around bed frames and carpets.

listermint

Solve the source first.

Damp!

Silverfish

Solve the damp issue first!

You can get the earth here https://diatomaceousearthireland.ie/

Its pretty effective. They generally don't move from house to house with you, they're not like bedbugs, more like wasps.

DustPan12

Caranica wrote: »

I got diatomaceous earth from Amazon a few years ago. Not sure if they're shipping it to Ireland now though.

I’ll take a look at Amazon, thank you for that! I’m surprised at how inaccessible this product seems to be, yet so highly recommended. Thank you!

DustPan12

tvjunki wrote: »

There must be a leak somewhere in the house as the silverfish live in dark damp areas. Let the landlord know that there is a leak. It must be there for a while.
Vacuum and Wash and air everything.
When the clothes are fully dry use vacuum bags. Hot wash is required.
Go to https://diatomaceousearthireland.ie/product/food-grade-diatomaceous-earth/
Most Organic Farm supply shops sell diatomaceous Earth as it is uses by most farmers. There are two grades. Make sure you spray but do not inhale. If you have a shell fish allergy you cannot use as it is made from shells. It is also good for bed bugs and flees. They are sprayed at door entries, around bed frames and carpets.

I have a feeling there is a leak somewhere, but none that are visible or obvious. The issue is it’s an older house and the landlord has been helpful and offered to call in extermination however due to COVID and the lack of threat silverfish pose, they’re not doing call-outs. They appear to be in all rooms and there’s a few rather large ones which makes me think there’s a nest or two, if they work that way.

Thank you for the website, I wasn’t sure how legitimate it was but I’ll be sure to order some. I like the idea of using a substance that’s not so harmful to us humans. I also never thought of using vacuum bags as a mode of transport (my heads melted lol). I’ll be sure to wash all clothing then and immediately do that and remove from the home.

I know the leak/ damp needs to be resolved but with moving I’m hoping to leave this as the landlords problem and not create another

thank you for the reply and advice, it means a lot.

DustPan12

listermint wrote: »

Solve the source first.

Damp!

Totally agree. However, we can’t find any visible leakages or damp spots. I’m unsure if there’s damp in the walls or somewhere as that’s where they seem to be coming from. But they’re in all rooms.

I’m hoping with the move that this remains the landlords issue and doesn’t follow us to create a new issue. I’m fed up of these feckers! Lol. Thank you for the comment.

DustPan12

Silverfish wrote: »

Solve the damp issue first!

You can get the earth here https://diatomaceousearthireland.ie/

Its pretty effective. They generally don't move from house to house with you, they're not like bedbugs, more like wasps.

Thank you for the link and nice username! Lol. Honestly it’s an old house and we can’t find visible signs of a leak however I do think there is one. I’m hoping with the move the problem will remain with the landlord. But that’s very reassuring that you mention they tend not to move with you, definitely puts my mind at ease. We will be going through all possessions during the day in hopes if they’re hiding they’ll scatter due to daylight.

JimmyVik

All the little bartards need is a tiny trip inside the walls somewhere that you might never find.
You can get little sticky pads. Put them wherever you see them at night.
Much cheaper than ripping your walls out

Oh and buy a dehumidifier. That will keep them inside the walls at least.

JustAThought

DustPan12 wrote: »

Thank you for the link and nice username! Lol. Honestly it’s an old house and we can’t find visible signs of a leak however I do think there is one. I’m hoping with the move the problem will remain with the landlord. But that’s very reassuring that you mention they tend not to move with you, definitely puts my mind at ease. We will be going through all possessions during the day in hopes if they’re hiding they’ll scatter due to daylight.

Never heard of this earth stuff but thanks for the tip!! I have had 2 or 3 of them that flit about in the bathroom for years - I only ever see them when I use the loo at night & turn on the light unexpectedly - then buzz about looking for somewhere to hide and I try to leave them alone but occasionally chase and flush one :0

I had a lousy flatmate a few years back who soaked the bathroom floor so badly the cealing plasterwork below collapsed - they may be living there - I took the floor up but couldn’t find them but they could be hanging out in the moist plasterboard below the floorboards and I wouldn’t know.

TBH I feel bad for you - why did you LL not take it seriously and fix the problem - it can’t ve nice living with an infestation of zoomey insects even if they just hang out in the dark and don’t bite. Shame on your LL.

How does that insect grade earth work? You dilute it and spray it? Spray it where? Or do you lay it down on the floor and hope the eat it???

macrubicon

If you around Dublin area Owl Pest Control in Tallaght sell diatomaceous earth at the trade desk to walk in's.

DustPan12

JimmyVik wrote: »

All the little bartards need is a tiny trip inside the walls somewhere that you might never find.
You can get little sticky pads. Put them wherever you see them at night.
Much cheaper than ripping your walls out

Oh and buy a dehumidifier. That will keep them inside the walls at least.

Apparently they’re one of the trickier pests to get rid of due to the fact they hide in the walls. Squatters rights?! Lol. The sticky traps I’ve seen before, they’re successful?

Also, the dehumidifier keeping them in the walls sounds pleasant. Obviously I want rid of them, especially if moving I don’t want to bring them, but if a dehumidifier will keep them at bay, or behind a wall at least, I’ll be a tad bit happier.

Thank you!

Gatling

Have a look at your skirting boards and socket fixtures and run silicon sealant where you find gaps or crack's in either it Will stop coming through the walls

Infestations are bitch to deal with even with professional intervention they keep coming back

DustPan12

JustAThought wrote: »

Never heard of this earth stuff but thanks for the tip!! I have had 2 or 3 of them that flit about in the bathroom for years - I only ever see them when I use the loo at night & turn on the light unexpectedly - then buzz about looking for somewhere to hide and I try to leave them alone but occasionally chase and flush one :0

I had a lousy flatmate a few years back who soaked the bathroom floor so badly the cealing plasterwork below collapsed - they may be living there - I took the floor up but couldn’t find them but they could be hanging out in the moist plasterboard below the floorboards and I wouldn’t know.

TBH I feel bad for you - why did you LL not take it seriously and fix the problem - it can’t ve nice living with an infestation of zoomey insects even if they just hang out in the dark and don’t bite. Shame on your LL.

How does that insect grade earth work? You dilute it and spray it? Spray it where? Or do you lay it down on the floor and hope the eat it???

In the beginning we only saw 1-2, I’d squish them after the marathon they’d sometimes make me run and that would be that. But over Christmas myself and partner weren’t home for a night and returned the following evening, so no lights were on for 24 hours etc... what we came home to was a hallway of silverfish. So squish as you see them!!

I think the LL does care if I’m honest. But it’s a catch 22, old big house - lots of small unseen cracks/ crevices. Exterminators aren’t doing call outs for silverfish during covid and yeah, it’s a crap situation.

As far as I know the earth stuff comes as a powder, you place it down and they walk on it etc. It’ll take a few days for it to kill them but I think it’s like glass to them, not entirely sure.

I just hope they don’t follow us to the new place. But thank you for the reply and I’m so sorry you had to put up with a roommate like that, they’re the worst kind!!

DustPan12

macrubicon wrote: »

If you around Dublin area Owl Pest Control in Tallaght sell diatomaceous earth at the trade desk to walk in's.

I’m not but I’ll see if they deliver also! I also have a family member that works in Dublin, I’ll ask them to pop into the shop for me. Thanks so much.

DustPan12

Gatling wrote: »

Have a look at your skirting boards and socket fixtures and run silicon sealant where you find gaps or crack's in either it Will stop coming through the walls

Infestations are bitch to deal with even with professional intervention they keep coming back

Well with moving, I’m more relying on the likes of the pesticide to deal with them further around skirting boards. I’ll tell the landlord to do this when we leave. But I’ll be certainly inspecting all skirting boards in the new apartment. I never even thought of the socket fixtures! The main aim is to not take them with us.

I’ve heard these are one of the most difficult insects to permanently remove. They seem to find every single crack in a house, most we can’t even see. I’ve chased a few who have scurried down some ridiculously small gaps. Thanks so much.

tvjunki

Diatomaceous Earth is made from fossilized plants (just googled as I was told it was shells) and you will get it ground down into a powder. There are two grades( fine and think)
What it does is dehydrates the insect and it dies. The same with flees and bedbugs. You can put this around your pets and it is safe from what I have been told.
First vacuum and clean everywhere. If it is on the bathroom and a room backing onto the bathroom you have a leak there and they will travel between the two.
Once fully dry put some of the DA in a drink bottle( put a hole in the lid) then squeeze the bottle. Make sure you have the room windows open and do wear a mask. DO NOT INHALE.Leave for a few hours with the windows open. You can then re enter the room.
Put in the areas where you see the silver fish and around your skirting. Near the bed, sofa carpets. It is grey in colour but when you walk over it you will see that the colour disappears. For bed bugs you can put in the creases of the bed and on the mattress.
Farmers use in their homes at the doors carpets and around the beds especially with live stock etc.
Treat as often as you can but do the cleaning bit.The cycle of silver fish is 3-4months to keep spraying. Make sure the room where you see them is warm and dry.
You may find a pipe could have dislodged the bath and there could be a slight drip. The toilet could be leaking as well. Keep everything off the floor while you treat the area. If the house is very old and the walls are damp then it will be hard to remove the silver fish without dealing the the moisture or damp.

Some actually use it for other ailments so the price has gone up a bit since I bought it for a trip to London. Some eat it for digestion and hair growth.