{"id":7979,"date":"2011-08-19T12:03:35","date_gmt":"2011-08-19T11:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentokil.ie\/blog\/\/?p=7979"},"modified":"2026-05-21T15:14:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:14:49","slug":"silverfish-like-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentokil.ie\/blog\/silverfish-like-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Silverfish Like Books (But Not To Read)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Silverfish<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Silverfish<\/a> are silver, torpedo shaped insects that move lightening quick. They creep out from their cracks and crevices at night and adverse to light they scarper back to their hidey-holes when a light is snapped on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silverfish have a preference for warm, moist environments like a bathroom or kitchen but they can be a librarian\u2019s pest too. Silverfish like to nibble on matter which contains polysaccharides. This includes glue, paper, sugar, hair, carpet and dandruff. Yummy. They can also live for a year or more without eating anything at all. In times of desperation, they may also eat synthetic fibres, dead insects or even their own exuviae (moulted exoskeletons). Waste not want not!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another bug which loves a damp environment is the centipede which is the Silverfish\u2019s enemy number one. As an insectivore, house centipedes enjoy snacking on silverfish and other nasties such as bed bugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silverfish can be treated by spraying insecticide into all your kitchen and bathroom cracks and crevices but if you have a bad infestation it is likely you won\u2019t reach them all. Silverfish are very cunning and like to hide in far to reach places. However a professional pest control technician<\/a> has a few tricks up their sleeve and can reach parts DIY treatments can\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many librarians could write a book about the methods used to keep silverfish from their collections but here are a few tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good Book Keeping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n