Silverfish: getting the saccharina lepisma away from your home is easier, thanks to these natural tricks

How to recognize and eliminate the so-called silverfish (lepisma saccharina) from our homes in a natural way

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

How to recognize and eliminate the so-called silverfish (lepisma saccharina) from our homes in a natural way

How to get rid of silverfish from our homes? Harmless and very fast, sometimes the silverfish hides in the ravines of the house before even being seen. It is not exactly a great sight, but the saccharina lepisma is nevertheless a really harmless insect, only annoying because it could in the long run - and especially if there are many at home - erode books, upholstery and fabrics. But how to recognize the silver fish? And how to get them away from home?





The common name of "silverfish”Comes from the fact that it resembles a small fish, due to its silvery-gray color, its shape and the way it zigzags.

The scientific name of "saccharina", on the other hand, is due to the fact that it essentially feeds on sugars and starch.

Index

What is it and how to recognize the lepisma saccharina

Silverfish: getting the saccharina lepisma away from your home is easier, thanks to these natural tricks

The silverfish is very easy to spot. It is a 10-15 millimeter long, wingless insect that is longitudinally flattened so that it is very similar to a fish. Its body is metallic gray, covered with scales with silvery reflections, and has two filiform antennae as long as the body at the head.

The legs are short and thin: theirs are very rapid and jerky movements, they freeze for very short intervals and then move again, and they can only run on horizontal surfaces, because they do not have structures suitable for walking on vertical or inclined surfaces.

Silverfish are active at night: if you suddenly open a window or move an object, they flee quickly.

as to reproduction, once fertilized, the eggs are laid in cracks or crevices, between books or shelves or in the folds of fabrics. Around 25/30 degrees of temperature a female lays about 100 eggs during her life. Adults usually live for two years, but they can reach up to 8 years and are well capable of surviving for a year without feeding.

Where are the silverfish and what they eat

Silverfish: getting the saccharina lepisma away from your home is easier, thanks to these natural tricks

Silverfish prefer homes (we find them above all in more humid areas such as under the sink or in basements), well-heated bathrooms, but also museums and libraries. The reason is obvious: they are greedy for material containing polysaccharides, therefore, paper, wallpaper, glue, bindings, photographs, carpets, cotton and linen fabrics, but also sugar, flour, pasta, sugary cereals, dried legumes. They also feed on dead insects, exuviae, hair, skin flakes.



Natural remedies to keep silverfish away

Silverfish: getting the saccharina lepisma away from your home is easier, thanks to these natural tricks

Although totally harmless to human health, silverfish can still be an uncomfortable presence in the home. They are definitely uninviting to see and, if they find the ideal habitat, they could reproduce and remain there to erode our books or fabrics over time.

There are certainly various natural remedies to ensure that the saccharina lepismus stays away from our homes. First of all, considering that these little animals they prefer humid environments, consider using a dehumidifier, knowing the silverfish prefer to stay in environments with humidity higher than 75% and which, generally, disappear spontaneously when the rate drops to 50%. On the other hand, remember that maintaining a healthy level of humidity in the house preserves the health of the respiratory tract.

Other natural remedies for silverfish can be:

Essential oil of peppermint or citronella

It seems that silverfish do not like strong smells many: it will be enough to place a few drops of essential oil of peppermint or lemongrass here and there to keep them away

Rosemary and cloves

For the same reason, you can prepare small bags where you can insert a little rosemary or some cloves and place them on the bookcases or between the drawers.


Laurel

To remove the saccharina lepisma from sheets, books or binders, you could insert some bay leaves between them, even broken up in the closet and drawers, replacing the old leaves with new ones every 6 months

Cucumber

In particular, cucumber peel is a natural repellent of silverfish. Leave a bowl of chopped cucumber in the corners of the house where you saw the bugs and replace as soon as the vegetables are dry.


Ginkgo biloba

The characteristic odor of the ginkgo bilboa leaves seems to be unwelcome by the silverfish: buy essences or rediscovered essences at a herbalist's shop and put them in key points at home.

Potatoes

Leave a grated potato near where you spotted the insects, which will act as a real bait

Flour and water

Mix them to obtain an almost solid mixture, then dip some pieces of cardboard in them, letting the moistened flour stick on both sides. Then arrange the strips of cardboard in the corners where you think insects nest

Follow us on Telegram | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Youtube

Read also:

  • Scutigera, don't kill her! What it is and why it is useful at home
  • Germs and bacteria: these are the worst places in the house where they hide
add a comment of Silverfish: getting the saccharina lepisma away from your home is easier, thanks to these natural tricks
Comment sent successfully! We will review it in the next few hours.