I saw a silverfish in the downstairs loo

[CoolHands]

tiled floor. Little bd disappeared by the time I went to get a lighter to kill it and got back. So, what to do? We generally have a clean house....missus will go postal if she sees one. Don't suppose there's much I can do? They're a bit like cockroaches aren't they - indestructable.

[SidJames]

Local pest control company will come and spray them. I had some many years ago, gone in a few days after spraying. (in the bathroom, damp at the time.)

[TheRealFingers99]

It's generally down to damp.

Compared to roaches, they're really no biggie.

Lots of poisons out there. Incidentally, for roaches, boric acid is pretty effective.

[chris1roll]

That's just reminded me I haven't seen any in the 2 1/2 years we've been here. Last house had loads. Similar age of house, and if anything this is damper!
I did find a millipede in the bathroom sink one morning though. And a cricket in our bed. And snails in the living room, but that's most likely down to having a five year old.

Anyway, they never bothered us, never thought they were a problem? Relatively entertaining to watch them whilst sat on the loo.

Suppose you might want to deal with the damp if you've got it though.

[Wings]

Simple remedy for getting rid of silver fish is bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, with most suppermarkets selling the same

[Funkycoldribena]

I like them, they're sort of cute.

[Spare tyre]

we have em in one cupboard at home in the kitchen

I thought laying a trap of thick bleach would kill em, it certainly slowed their numbers down, but they came back

Someone mentioned trying ant powder

[Hoofy]

Funkycoldribena said:

I like them, they're sort of cute.

That's what I was thinking. Saw one a year ago in my living room. Did nothing. Not seen any since.

[herewego]

What, you didn't panic and run out and buy ten kinds of disinfectant?

[dirty boy]

I find they don't do too well under a well placed finger. Normal bog roll cleans up the residue with no bother.

I've seen a few over the years at our house, wife goes mad too, but they're not prolific.

[dtmpower]

A combination of Ant Powder, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Protector-Insects-Insectic... and a dehumidifer have curtailed the Silverfish infestation.

Also don't leave any lose material, card, paper, and vacuum well around the skirting. I also filled up some gaps in the floor with decorators caulk.

[prand]

herewego said:

What, you didn't panic and run out and buy ten kinds of disinfectant?

Hee hee, I thought the same. I quite like reading the tales of the OCD amongst us on PH as it makes me feel a bit smug about my comfortable, but dirty existence in my leaky, drafty and pest ridden victorian residence.

Due to the season, we're currently having a few fun and games with mice, spiders and daddy longlegs which I could imagine would make the OP (or his wife at least) reach for the blowtorch or shotgun while simultaneously running screaming from the house!

As a poster above mentioned, I quite like silverfish, they're a bit odd and primeval, but don't seem to do much damage unless they have infested a priceless antique book collection (which you wouldn't keep in the damp downstairs loo anyway). They seem to get removed individually and don't seem to cause any major bother.

[softtop]

Do you know how long they live? Without googling it is about 10 years or more. And they have long memories, don't kill the parent and expect to get away with it, their children will come and eat your clothes.

[prand]

softtop said:

Do you know how long they live? Without googling it is about 10 years or more. And they have long memories, don't kill the parent and expect to get away with it, their children will come and eat your clothes.

Blimey Wikepedia says the following: "Earwigs, house centipedes and spiders are known to be predators of silverfish"

So OP you now know the best way to get rid of them then? (OP falls to the floor in a dead faint...)

[Revisitph]

Years ago my parents had silverfish in the dining room. It had a dark blue carpet so they were easy to spot if they moved. They would appear about half an hour after supper, hunting for crumbs when the room had been dark for a while - my father used to switch on the light and stamp on them. He was sure that over about 20 years they'd demonstrated evolution - initially they'd scarper when the light went on and he'd crush them; then they'd stay still but scarper if he stamped, allowing him to spot and crush them, eventually they'd stay still until multiple stamps, when they'd move and become visible.

It's not impossible that they had evolved in that period - there must have been many generations over that time and by killing the movers he'd gradually selected firstly the ones which were cool enough not to react to light, then those who were indifferent to the lights coming on and could stay still when subjected to the shock of a single vibration through the floorboards...

PS. Prand says

"Blimey Wikepedia says the following: "Earwigs, house centipedes and spiders are known to be predators of silverfish"

That's a slippery slope - remember what we learned as children about the old lady who swallowed a fly?

Edited by Revisitph on Wednesday 24th September 20:33

[Simpo Two]

Revisitph said:

It's not impossible that they had evolved in that period - there must have been many generations over that time and by killing the movers he'd gradually selected firstly the ones which were cool enough not to react to light, then those who were indifferent to the lights coming on and could stay still when subjected to the shock of a single vibration through the floorboards...

I'm sure you're right - I have much the same battle with Pholcus spiders - and they are getting to be very smart indeed... you clobber them, then try to find the body - nothing...