Silverfish & Firebrats

This page will help you identify and get rid of silverfish and firebrats. These are Elizabeth's least favorite insects, I think because they can "jump" suddenly when disturbed. These primative, wingless insects are identified by long antennae and three long "bristle tails" at the rear end. In fact, an old common name for them is "bristletail".

Silverfish and firebrats are 1/2"-3/4" long when fully grown. Silverfish are somewhat shiny and silver-grey in color while firebrats are dull, mottled and grey-brown. Firebrats also have more stiff "hairs" along the body (see photo right, bottom). Both feed on paper and starchy materials which may lead them to damage books, stored papers, pictures, and wallpaper. They will even get into stored foodstuffs like cereal, grains and dried meats.

common misspellings and alternate names: fishmoths, silver fish, fire brats, bristle tails

Control of silverfish and firebrats

Silverfish prefer cool, damp habitats like basements and crawlspaces while firebrats tend to occur in hotter, drier areas like attics. Our crawlspace, which has a dirt floor covered with plastic sheeting, produces a regular of supply of pesky silverfish.

Control of silverfish can usually be accomplished by reducing water sources. Insecticide treatment, if absolutely necessary, should be restricted to non-inhabited areas of the house such as attics and crawlspaces. Firebrats can be effectively managed with insecticidal dusts (including botanical dusts, see below) that are placed in dry areas where these insects are found.

Remember to protect boxes of valuable books, and other paper documents, by sealing the storage boxes with tape.

The Pest Management Store

Identification guides, reference and gardening books.

Safer botanical insecticides

New plant oil (botanical) insectcides can be safely used indoors for a variety of pests including silverfish and firebrats. See label instructions for these applications. As with any insecticide, please read and carefully follow these instructions.