Silverfish aren’t the only problem you might have. Sometimes they can be accompanied by other horrible pests

So, you have a roach problem. No big deal. So do lots of people. But, maybe yours is a little different. Maybe that roach motel isn’t working as well as it used to. Maybe you’re tired of seeing the blasted creatures just when you thought you gotten them all killed off. Perhaps your house is home for a new species of cockroach that is seemingly immune to all your hard work and efforts to see them off.

If all these are the case, you’re likely considering getting professional roach elimination help, that is, an exterminator. Before you pick up that phone, though, consider whether you’ve taken all the right steps to help avoid this sort of taking this sort of action. Roach extermination isn’t cheap, and the chemicals it can leave behind are not always pleasant, so you want to make sure that you’ve done everything you need.

Most people give up too quickly on their efforts to kill roaches because they aren’t doing the right things. Roach motels and roach spray do work, but to really kill roaches, you’ve got to break out the big guns: boric acid. Boric acid is a powder you can buy at the store which is quite toxic to cockroaches. If you haven’t already, buy yourself a big box of this, and start spreading it at strategic locations around your house. Focus on the cool, dark, damp places roaches like. Also, roaches like to walk with one side of their body against something, so you can take advantage of this by placing the powder along edges (such as your baseboards).

Don’t be shy with the boric acid. Placed effectively and consistently, you will find you have a major roach apocalypse on your hands. However, for some people, this might not even work. At this point, you may feel safe in going ahead and calling up an exterminator. The only other option is to get a cat that will hunt and eat the roaches for you. This can be quite effective, but if you’re not interested pet ownership, this isn’t a good option.

When shopping for a local exterminator, be sure that you try to find a well established company that will know how to deal with the unique special concerns of your roach population. The longer the company has been around, the more likely it is to be good, but don’t discount newcomers if you hear something good. After all, you’ve fought long and hard against these roaches, you need someone who can help bring in the big guns and finish the job effectively.

By: David C. Wilson

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David Wilson hates roaches as much as you do. He invites you to find out more about making them die by visiting the Roach Extermination Guide. Here, you can read about roach exterminators, how to kill roaches, and more.

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Silverfish are not fish, they are actually insects!!! And could be destructive in their own little way, as well. This is a brief guide on what they are, the harm they do and how to eliminate them. Silverfish - Not Actually Fish!!!

Silverfish are a wonderful misnomer. They are neither silver, nor they are fish! Only some of them might appear silver at a particular stage in their life, and that too when light falls on them. In reality, they are insects - arthropods to be specific, just as cockroaches and crabs are. Biologically they are named as Lepisma saccharina (the saccharina in their name is an allusion to their diet, which is mainly carbohydrate sugars). They are barely 1 to 2 cm in length.

You can find silverfish in your home wherever there are cracks, humidity and their kind of food. Bathrooms have all these conditions, and so typically you will find silverfish there. These are found mostly near things like tissue paper, towels and even foams and shampoos, since they all contain different types of carbohydrates in them. When food is scarce in the bathrooms, they might make their exodus in other parts of the house where they would feed on paper, clothes and even leather. The damage done by the silverfish is seen in the form of tiny holes on the material they have gnawed on.

Though silverfish may cause material destruction, there are no health issues related with them. They can sting, but the sting is only mildly irritating, and with no long-term effects. As it is, these insects are relatively harmless.

It is interesting to know the reproductive cycle of the silverfish. Silverfish exhibit external reproduction which is quite unique. The male first releases his gamete in a little capsule, which is coated with gossamer. This is then fertilized by the female to make an egg. In this manner, it is not necessary for the male and the female to come together for producing silverfish offspring. Resultantly, their populations can grow to alarming levels quite speedily. Quite unsurprisingly then, silverfish have been in the world for about 300 million years.

Silverfish - A Household Nuisance

Silverfish are found in almost all the homes around the world in the bathrooms and kitchens where there is dampness and crevices for them to stay. Though they do not do much harm (at least as much as cockroaches, mosquitoes and flies do), they are disgusting to look at and do speak of poor hygienic conditions. That is the reason removal of these insects is a must.

Due to the presence of their favorite carbohydrate foods, you will also find silverfish in basements, in attics, in rooms that have been closed for a while, in closets, in bookshelves, behind the wallpaper, under the carpets and in such areas. They do not like much sunlight, so expect to find them in dark, musty places. They are also commonly found in libraries and junkyards.

Silverfish are quite visually evident when they are present, but they do scuttle quickly when their hiding place is exposed. But there are indications to find out about their presence. Finding their molted skins is another indication of their presence. If your paper and clothes seem to have tiny neat holes, or your fabrics have yellow stains on them, then you have a silverfish infestation at home. You can trap them with glass containers, because they cannot climb those surfaces and then exterminate them individually.

Some preventions are in order to keep the silverfish away. Here’s what you can do:-

• Fill up all the crevices in your bathroom and other damp places of the house. You get filling materials which are toxic to all insects. These do well in keeping the silverfish away, and killing whatever are already present.
• Do not allow moisture to retain in the bathroom. Install an exhaust fan and keep the bathroom doors open occasionally, especially after a bath.
• Do not let your shampoo bottles, etc. drip their contents. Cap them on securely.
• Regularly clean your bathroom walls. Cleanliness intimidates all insects and keeps them away.

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