The silverfish insect may be small, but it can cause major problems in both residential and commercial spaces. These nocturnal pests thrive in dark, humid environments and are known for feeding on paper, fabrics, adhesives, and even stored food. Over time, a silverfish infestation can result in costly damage if not treated professionally.
Across Ireland, cases of silverfish activity have been rising, especially in properties with poor ventilation or moisture issues. Whether you’re dealing with damage in a kitchen, storage room, or office space, silverfish pest control is essential to protect your environment.
Silverfish Pest Control: Understanding the Problem and the Solution
Silverfish are discreet but destructive. They often go unnoticed until they’ve already caused significant damage to property or belongings. Understanding how they operate and how to stop them is key to long-term control.
What Is a Silverfish Insect?
The silverfish insect (Lepisma saccharinum) has a slender, teardrop-shaped body, measuring 12–19mm in length. Its distinctive silver-grey colour and fast, darting movements make it easy to identify once spotted. Silverfish are wingless but move quickly, typically hiding during the day and becoming active at night.
They favour environments such as:
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- Bathrooms and kitchens
- Basements, attics, and loft spaces
- Behind wallpaper or skirting boards
- Commercial storerooms and archives
What attracts them most is humidity. Areas with poor airflow, high moisture, or cluttered paper and cardboard storage offer ideal hiding and breeding conditions.
Signs of a Silverfish Infestation
Because they’re so elusive, silverfish often infest properties silently. Common signs include:
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- Irregular holes in books, documents, wallpaper, and packaging
- Yellow stains or tiny black droppings on surfaces
- Shedded exoskeletons found in corners or drawers
- Live insects in sinks, bathtubs, or around skirting boards
Silverfish are also known to enter buildings through cracks in walls, foundations, vents, or openings in utility lines. Once they’ve found a suitable environment, they multiply quickly.
Silverfish Pest Control and Extermination: What to Expect
While store-bought traps and sprays may offer short-term relief, they rarely reach deep into the hidden areas where silverfish live and breed. For complete and lasting results, professional silverfish treatment is the safest and most effective approach.
Our Pest Control Process
At Effective Pest Control, we use a step-by-step process to ensure full silverfish extermination, no matter the property type.
1. Detailed Inspection
Our trained pest control technicians begin with a full inspection of your premises. We locate breeding sites, identify entry points, and assess humidity levels.
2. Customised Treatment Plan
Based on our findings, we developed a tailored silverfish treatment strategy. We use targeted products and safe application methods suitable for residential, commercial, and industrial environments.
3. Extermination and Control
Our team treats all affected areas, including skirting boards, cracks, voids, and other nesting spots. This ensures the complete removal of adult silverfish, eggs, and larvae.
4. Preventive Guidance
Once treatment is complete, we provide expert tips to keep silverfish away. Recommendations may include:
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- Reducing humidity with dehumidifiers or better ventilation
- Sealing entry points around doors, pipes, and wiring
- Decluttering paper-heavy storage areas
- Regular cleaning of high-risk spaces
Do You Need a Silverfish Exterminator?
If you’ve spotted a silverfish or seen evidence of damage, it’s likely more are hiding out of sight. These pests reproduce quickly and tend to stay hidden, especially in spaces that aren’t frequently used.
Hiring a professional silverfish exterminator ensures that the root of the infestation is treated effectively. We serve a wide range of clients, including:
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- Private homes
- Apartment buildings
- Retail and office spaces
- Warehouses and storage facilities
Contact Us for Expert Silverfish Pest Control
Silverfish can be a big problem that needs to be resolved professionally. Both the silverfish and their nests have to be treated.
Our certified pest control technicians provide effective and safe silverfish pest control tailored to your needs. This type of treatment will allow you to get rid of silverfish once and for all.
At Effective Pest Control, we are always ready to provide you with reliable pest control services. Contact us today to schedule an inspection and get a service quote.
You can also call us on 086 233 7727, email info@effectivepestcontrol.ie, or fill out our Request a Call Back Form above.