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Silverfish and firebrat

Facts about silverfish and firebrat

  • Silverfish are about half an inch long and are silvery grey in colour.
  • Firebrats are about half an inch long and are greyish and mottled with spots and bands of dark scales.
  • They both eat a wide variety of foods including glue, wallpaper paste, book bindings, paper, photographs, starch in clothing, cotton, linen, rayon, wheat flour, cereals, dried meats, leather and even dead insects.
  • Silverfish live and develop in damp, cool places such as basements and laundry rooms. Sometimes you will see them in the bathtub or sink, unable to climb out.
  • Firebrat live in hot, humid places such as attics in the summer and near ovens, fireplaces and central heating pipes in winter.
  • Outdoors they can be found under rocks, bark and leaf mould and in ant, bird or animal nests.
  • They usually come into the home in food, furniture, old books or papers.
  • They are hardy and can live without food for many months.
  • They are harmless but can be a nuisance.

Lifecycle and habits

Silverfish females may lay over 100 eggs during a lifetime. Eggs hatch in three to six weeks. Firebrats lay about 50 eggs and hatch in about two weeks, under ideal conditions. Adults may live from two to eight years.

Silverfish and firebrats are active at night and hide during the day. When objects are moved where they are hiding, they dart out and seek new hiding places.

How can I get rid of them?

  • You could use a residual insecticide, which you can buy from hardware or DIY stores. Treatment needs to be applied to all possible hiding places such as cracks, crevices, inside floor mouldings, around heating and hot water pipes, in and behind furniture, cupboards, even attics.
  • Remove old boxes and stacks of papers, magazines, books and fabrics.
  • Often reducing available water and lowering the humidity in the home with dehumidifiers and fans can help.
  • Repair leaking plumbing and make sure areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are well ventilated.
  • Keeping your home clean and free from damp will help prevent reinfestation.

Treatment the council provides

The council does not provide a service for treatment of Silverfish or Firebrat.

How to contact us

If you would like further advice or need to make a pest control appointment please contact us:

First Stop Shop
Civic Centre
Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1EU

Telephone 01922 744320
Minicom 0845 1112910
Email contactcentre@walsall.gov.uk
Website www.walsall.gov.uk

If you need help treating a silverfish or firebrat infestation or have any further questions, contact us on 01922 743320.  For householders this is a free service.

For further information please view our silverfish and firebrat factsheet (PDF 74KB).