Don’t mistake the name for a beautiful fish.Silverfish are translucent multi-legged creatures that can make you run screaming. They feed on a variety of foods and fabrics.What’s with the name? Well, these bugs are silver-colored pests that move around like fish. We see them in the corners of our house, wiggling through the cracks.These insects are pretty much harmless but they can be annoying and cause damage, particularly to books, clothing, wallpaper, and pet food in our house. They are very small with six legs. Although they are mostly silvery in color, there are white or brown combinations too. They live in humid conditions and come out at night. Why is this small insect a cause of concern for your house? They have weak jaws and bite into their food sources. Their food sources include wallpaper, books, and clothes in our house. That’s right, once your house is a victim of a silverfish infestation, things can only go bad. Now you realize why these little insects are a topic for discussion. Pest control is the only effective way to get rid of a silverfish infestation. Let’s learn a little more about these silverfish, their diet, and what we can do about their damaging diet.After reading all about these pests, you would also want to know are silverfish bad and where do silverfish come from?Do silverfish eat money?Silverfish can be a nuisance in our houses, particularly to the expensive things in the house. Silverfish eat and cause damage to things like books, clothes, and food. Since money is basically paper, these pests will eat your money too, which is why it’s important to keep this insect far away from your valuable things. These nocturnal insects will leave yellow debris on the paper. If you’ve noticed a yellow marking on your money, it is time to find a new place to keep your money quickly.What do silverfish eat? Silverfish eat things that contain cellulose. Cellulose is the starchy sugar seen in paper products. If your money or other paper products are stored in a dark, damp place with moisture, it’s easy for silverfish to eat this. Since they reproduce quickly, it’s easy for silverfish to multiply and cause more damage to the house. Since silverfish feed on starches, carbohydrates, and starchy, paper money is food for them. Paper money is made of cotton, plastic, and film fiber. This composition of cotton and plastic contains starches and cellulose that silverfish eat. If you notice yellow stains, starch-like markings, or other silverfish droppings where you keep money, it is a sign that a silverfish is eating your money. The presence of holes in your money also is a sign that you have a silverfish infestation. If there are any dead silverfish near your money, it’s a dead giveaway.Do silverfish eat your clothes?It’s quite clear that our money and books are not safe from silverfish. However, what about our clothes? Are these safe from nuisance of silverfish? Sadly no. silverfish feed on clothes too. If you’ve seen yellow markings on your clothes, know that your clothes are already a victim of silverfish. Due to their typical feeding habits, they are seen on clothes too. If your clothes are made of cellulose, starch, or protein, there is no need for an explanation as to why these insects feed on them.Silverfish eat clothes, not for the material, but for the substance that is contained in that fabric. They feed on starched clothing to extract the starch on the clothes for their nourishment. If your damp clothing has spilled food containing sugar, they will feed on this substance, damaging the clothes. Apart from this, if the clothes are stored in a dark, damp place with moisture, this attracts silverfish and they will live and feed on the clothes. You might have noticed a silverfish stuck on your clothes that had not been outside or worn for a long time. The garments that silverfish prefer are cotton, linen, silk, leather, and rayon. The worst is when they leave little holes in fabrics since these insects can only take small bites. Always store your clothes in a clean and dry place.Do silverfish eat other insects?Since silverfish eat almost everything in your house, do they also eat other insects? Do these pests feed on bed bugs? Are they predators? As have already mentioned, silverfish are nocturnal insects that feed on starch, cellulose, and sugar. But they are not predators, meaning they don’t feed on other insects. This is also why they are said to be harmless for humans.Silverfish are not blood-eating pests. They are harmless in a way but damaging in other ways. They don’t bite since they don’t have strong jaws. Even though they don’t eat insects, there are other insects that feed on them. Earwigs, spiders, and centipedes are predators of silverfish. Silverfish also eat the starchy sugar seen in dead skin cells like dandruff. It is possible that silverfish might get into your head and eat dandruff. This is not something that sounds very pleasant. All the more reason to get rid of them. Although they don’t feed on other insects, they do eat grains, glue, clothes, food, and money among other protein-rich substances.Can silverfish bite you?Silverfish have weak jaws, which we have stated before. They cannot pierce into human skin with their weak jaws. This means that silverfish do not bite humans. They are only interested in your cardboard boxes, clothes, and books. They might crawl into your head because of dandruff. Dandruff contains starch and sugar that attract silverfish.Silverfish rarely come near humans. They are extremely shy creatures who will run fast at the sight of humans. They are not seen out in the daylight either. Mostly, silverfish travel at night. However, they can bug human beings by the damage that they cause to household properties. Like bed bugs, these silverfish can also hide inside the bed. Since silverfish leave behind their skin as they age, these skin remnants, when in contact with dust, will collect the dust causing allergic reactions in humans. Apart from that, they are not known to be carriers of pathogens or other diseases, unlike some other pests. However, it can be a hassle when silverfish cause an infestation. They will infest your personal belongings. It’s better to take effective measures in preventing the growth and spreading of these creatures. Pest control offers you a great way to get rid of a silverfish infestation. You must also vacuum your wardrobes regularly to get rid of an infestation.Silverfish Eating HabitsWe’ve already discussed in detail silverfish eating habits. Silverfish eating habits threaten the safety of our personal belongings and it is important to get rid of these insects. Silverfish are known for their destructive feeding habits.To prevent these insects from ruining your books and clothes, store these personal belongings in areas where they can’t enter. Clean and vacuum these areas regularly. Use pesticides in these areas to get rid of silverfish. You can also call a professional exterminator. Cedar oils are natural insecticides that will keep the starfish at bay. Keep a close eye on the yellow stains, holes, or other debris caused by silverfish. They prefer places with moisture and high humidity. So, check places that fit this description in your house.There are many ways to get rid of a silverfish infestation. It is better to stop this insect from multiplying. Since they mostly hide from humans, it’s hard to notice their presence. Silverfish will crawl through the cracks of your home, so it is better to call someone and make the floor free from such openings that provide a space for this pest. Ensure that the home environment and space around you are regularly dried to prevent humid conditions.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do silverfish eat then why not take a look at what do June bugs eat, or silverfish facts.
Don’t mistake the name for a beautiful fish.
