What are silverfish?
Identification & behavior
- Silverfish are wingless insects, about ½ to ¾ inch long, often silver-gray or bluish in hue, with a teardrop-shaped body and three tail-like bristles at the back.
- They are nocturnal (active at night), avoid light, and move with a characteristic wriggling motion.
- They prefer damp, dark, undisturbed areas — e.g., bathrooms, basements, attics, behind baseboards, crawlspaces, closets.
What they eat & damage they cause
- Silverfish feed on materials rich in starch, sugar, cellulose, and adhesives. Examples: book bindings, wallpaper paste, cardboard, fabrics (especially starched), cereals, etc.
- While they are not harmful to humans (they don’t bite or spread disease) they are a nuisance because they can damage books, wallpapers, stored papers, fabrics, and items with glue or starch.
- Their presence often signals moisture/humidity problems in the home (which they favor).
How to treat & prevent them in a home
Because you're in the area of Manatee County, Florida, many of the standard recommendations apply — especially given the warm/humid climate. Here are steps you can take:
1. Identify and reduce their favored conditions
- Reduce moisture/humidity in areas like bathrooms, laundry rooms, attics, crawlspaces. Use dehumidifiers, fix leaks, improve ventilation.
- Clear out clutter and storage of cardboard, old books/magazines, loose papers, or open food boxes — these provide food & hiding spots.
- Seal cracks, gaps, crevices around baseboards, plumbing, wall/floor joins, storage areas to prevent entry/hiding.
2. Use targeted methods/traps
- Place sticky traps in suspected areas (behind cabinets, under sinks, in closets) to monitor and reduce numbers.
- Use dusts like diatomaceous earth or silica dust in wall voids, under baseboards, etc. These work when dry and contact insects.
3. Consider Westfall’s
- In Florida, local pest-control such as Westfall’s services list silverfish control among their services in Manatee County and Sarasota County.
- A professional inspection by Westfall’s can identify hidden moisture sources or structural issues (especially common in humid climates) and apply residual sprays or dust treatments.
4. Specific steps for your Florida home
Since Florida’s climate tends to be humid, your home might especially benefit from:
- Installing or using a dehumidifier in storage areas, attic, or any space that stays damp.
- Ensuring bathrooms/kitchens have working exhaust fans and that they vent outdoors (not just into attic).
- Using plastic or sealed containers (rather than cardboard) for storage of papers, clothes, holiday items.
- Inspecting attic, crawlspaces, under house for leaks, standing water, damp insulation.
- When moving items in from storage (old books, cardboard boxes) inspect them or even freeze them a short time in sealed plastic to kill any eggs/larvae. (
Summary
If you are dealing with silverfish (or spotting signs of them) in Manatee County:
- They are more of a property damage nuisance than a health threat.
- The key to long-term control is moisture control + sealing + good storage practices, rather than just blasting with pesticide.
- If you still see them despite doing those steps, Westfall’s Pest Control can help with targeted treatments and identify hidden moisture/entry points that you might have missed.