If you visit your bathroom, attic, or basement in the middle of the night, you might find out you’re not alone. If you spot a silvery bug that moves very fast in a fish-like motion, your visitor is probably a silverfish. This harmless (to you) pest is most active at night, avoids light, and seeks out moist environments, so it isn’t likely you’ll run into them during your daily activities in your home. How can you tell if you have a silverfish problem? Read on to learn the signs of a silverfish infestation.

Signs of a Silverfish Infestation

Spotting multiple. Unlike other pests that might infiltrate your home, silverfish are solitary pests and don’t live in groups. Spotting one isn’t necessarily a sign of a problem, but if you find multiple, you might have a bigger problem on your hands. That’s because they go where they can find nourishment and water, so you might just discover you have a leak somewhere in your home.

Finding feces. Like most pest infestations, discovering feces can be a clear sign of problems. Silverfish waste is small, round, and black, almost resembling peppercorns

Holes in papers and fabrics. Silverfish are well-known for their odd choice of food, which provides a big clue to an infestation. They need starches, so they happily munch on wallpaper, books, magazines, paper, and fabric. You might even find one in your kitchen cabinet searching for one of your snacks.

Yellow Stains. Silverfish leave behind yellow stains. Fortunately, it’s not urine covering your objects. When they molt, they create a yellow, dust-like substance.

Shed Skin. Like some other insects, silverfish continue to shed their skin well into adulthood. You might notice metallic, opaque scales. This is a clear sign of an infestation because it means they have been around for a while.

Keep Silverfish out with ExtermPRO

At ExtermPRO, we believe prevention and early action are the keys to pest control. If you’re seeing signs of a silverfish infestation, call us today at 571-620-1168. And if you’d like to prevent further infestations from silverfish and other pests, our Pest Protection Plan has you covered. We offer this year-round preventative service to our neighbors in northern Virginia, only using the products and methods we feel comfortable using in our own home.