Silverfish Control

Why Silverfish Are More Destructive Than They Look

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects with a distinctive silver, fish-like appearance and fast, darting movement. They feed on carbohydrates -- particularly starches and sugars -- including paper, book bindings, wallpaper paste, natural fabric fibres, and stored food products like flour and cereals.

While they pose no direct health risk to humans, the damage they cause to books, documents, photographs, clothing, and wallpaper can be significant and irreplaceable. A well-established silverfish population can ruin a library, a wardrobe, or an entire archive over time.

They thrive in humid, dark environments -- bathrooms, basements, roof voids, and behind kitchen appliances -- and are most active at night, making infestations easy to miss until damage becomes obvious.