Silverfish and Firebrats

Silverfish (shown here) and firebrats may cause damage in the home by eating foods or other materials that are high in protein, sugar, or starch. They eat cereals, moist wheat flour, paper on which there is glue or paste, sizing in paper and bookbindings, starch in clothing, and rayon fabrics.

Silverfish and firebrats are common in homes. The silverfish lives and develops in damp, cool places. Large numbers may be found in new buildings in which the newly plastered walls are still damp. The firebrat lives and develops in hot, dark places, such as around furnaces and fireplaces, and in insulations around hot water or steam pipes.

In apartment buildings the insects follow pipelines to rooms in search of food. They may be found in bookcases, around closet shelves, behind baseboards, windows or door frames.

Silverfish and firebrats are both slender, wingless insects and their bodies are covered with scales. Adults are about one-third to one-half inch long. Silverfish are shiny and silver or pearl-gray in color. Firebrats are mottled gray. The young insects look like adults except they are smaller.

Both insects have two long slender antennae attached to their heads and three long tail-like appendages at the hind end. Each appendage is almost as long as the body.

Silverfish and firebrats are active at night and hide during the day. When objects under which they hide are moved, they dart about seeking a new hiding place.

Under usual house conditions, silverfish and firebrats develop slowly and have few young. They are hardy and can live for several months without food.

Females lay eggs year round in secluded places, such as behind books or on closet shelves. Eggs are occasionally laid in the open. Silverfish lay only a few eggs at a time but may lay several batches over a period of weeks. The eggs are whitish, oval, and about 1/32 inch long. They hatch in two to eight weeks, the hatching time depending on temperature.

Firebrats lay about 50 eggs one at a time and will lay several batches. The eggs are soft, white and opaque, when laid. They will later have a yellowish tinge. Firebrat eggs hatch in about two weeks. Both insects reach maturity in 3 to 24 months. Their rate of growth depends on temperature and humidity.

For more information, please visit http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG094

If you have Silverfish or Firebrats  – Call A1 Super Heroes immediately at (954) 255-2233 and our professionals will eliminate this problem.