Intrusion of silverfish into your home?
Are you looking for a silverfish exterminator to intervene following an invasion of your home? Nova Extermination’s specialized technicians can help you deal with the invasion of silverfish that are causing you a problem
Our trained and certified exterminators have many years of experience in treating and exterminating a silverfish problem on the South Shore. We have mastered the techniques to examine this situation and we have the necessary equipment to solve your problem quickly and sustainably.
What is a silverfish?
The silverfish is an insect with silvery scales that lives at night. It does not transmit diseases, but it eats away at sugar, starch, paper and glue. Nova Extermination offers a silverfish pest control service to help you get rid of them as quickly as possible.
Silverfish (lepisma saccharina) is a small, crawling, grey-coloured insect that measures about 1 cm. It has long, thin antennae and its body is covered in tiny silvery scales, hence its name.
What does he eat?
Silverfish has a clear preference for dry foodstuffs, such as sugar or starch. However, it also feeds on wallpaper, leather, dirty clothes, and glue.
What is its reproductive cycle?
This insect reproduces very quickly. Females can lay up to 20 eggs per day. Their larvae reach the adult stage in 3 to 4 months. A couple of silverfish can therefore cause a rapid infestation within a few weeks.
Silverfish Processing Perimeter
Silverfish Lepisma saccharinum thrives in wetlands with high concentrations of paper and glue. In Longueuil and Saint-Hubert, our treatments mainly target the basements and bathrooms of triplexes in Old Longueuil. In Brossard and the surrounding area, the finished basements of single-family homes in sectors A to D are the most treated areas. Our intervention on the South Shore combines dehumidification and application of microencapsulated boric acid. In Boucherville and the surrounding area, Old Boucherville regularly sees infestations in libraries and old basements. Further east, the service in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Richelieu Valley) deals mainly with heritage buildings with wet foundations. In Saint-Hyacinthe and the Maskoutains, the old buildings in the downtown area and the crawl spaces of the farmhouses concentrate the cases.
Did you know?
Silverfish don’t just feed on human food. Indeed, they can perform a blatant cleaning in your home! They feed on dust, hair left on the floor, mold, dust mites, and almost anything on your walls and floors!
IS SILVERFISH DANGEROUS?
Its presence can be extremely unpleasant in your home. It’s never pleasant to find a silverfish in your pantry or rummage through old boxes and find a dead colony.
Silverfish, on the other hand, does not pose any danger to humans. It does not sting, it does not bite, it does not cause any allergic reaction and it does not transmit any disease!
Apart from excrement, their presence is relatively hygienic. You would have to ingest a large number of them to be really threatened.
What can I do to get rid of it?
Call an exterminator on the South Shore to carry out the complete extermination of silverfish at your home.
Contact us for more information
To exterminate silverfish effectively and safely, it is strongly recommended to call a professional. Since its creation, Nova Extermination has specialized in the extermination of insects, rodents and animals.
If you need to disinfect silverfish, contact us now. We will be happy to answer all your questions to offer you the service that meets your expectations.
Silverfish Life Cycle and Infestation Conditions
Lepisma saccharinum, commonly known as silverfish, is a primitive apterygotic insect that can live up to 8 years in optimal conditions. Its female lays between 50 and 100 eggs over her entire life, deposited one by one in dark, damp cracks. Incubation lasts from 19 to 64 days depending on temperature and humidity. Juveniles go through 4 to 5 moults before sexual maturity, reached after 3 to 24 months. Silverfish thrive in a very specific range: relative humidity above 75%, temperature between 22 and 28°C, almost total darkness and the presence of starchy material (paper, tapestry glue, books, cardboard, textile fibres). An infestation typically settles in poorly ventilated basements, damp crawl spaces, bathrooms without an effective extractor, behind bedroom baseboards, and in kitchen cabinets next to a leaky sink.
The sustainable treatment of silverfish is based on two complementary axes: the removal of favourable conditions and the targeted application of PMRA-registered residual insecticides. The first step is always diagnostic: we measure the relative humidity with a hygrometer in each suspect room, identify the sources of humidity (leaks, condensation, insufficient ventilation) and inspect cracks and skirting boards. The second stage combines dehumidification (target 45-55% RH), leak repair, crack sealing, and application of insecticidal powders based on boric acid or microencapsulated pyrethrins in traffic areas. Gel baits are not used because silverfish do not follow conventional food routes. 30- and 90-day follow-up is essential: a single application often leaves residual pockets in wall voids.
Favorable conditions and prevention by room
| Piece | Typical | RHSource of Humidity | Food | substratePreventive measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finished basement | 60 to 80 % | Foundation infiltration | Stored boxes, wallpaper | Dehumidifier 50 % RH target |
| Bathroom | 70 to 85% | Shower, low ventilation | Silicone seals, skirting boards | Extractor 50 m³/h minimum |
| Kitchen | 50 to 70% | Sink leaks, dishwasher Flours | , packaging cartons | Annual plumbing check |
| Crawl space | 75 to 95 % | Floor capillary rise | Cellulose insulation | Polyethylene vapour barrier 6 mil |
| Laundry | 60 to 75% | Poorly ventilated dryer | Textile fibers, lint | Ducted waterproof outdoor dryer |
| Adult room | 45 to 60% | Cold exterior wall (condensation) | Books, stored clothes | Wall insulation, sealed skirting boards |
Silverfish: indicative costs 2026 and signs of infestation
In Quebec, a complete treatment against silverfish on a single-family home is based on evaluation for a two-pass intervention, spaced 30 days apart. A heavily infested basement with associated dehumidification and crack sealing costs on evaluation. The most reliable warning sign is the presence of small shiny silver streaks in the morning on the bathroom tiles, accompanied by abandoned moults (translucent fish-shaped cuticles) and wallpaper that is gradually peeling off. Ancient books often have irregular holes on the surface. An infestation is almost always linked to an underlying moisture problem: without correcting the humidity factor, chemical treatment alone causes a relapse in 6 to 12 months. This is why, when relevant, our quote can include a humidity diagnosis with a hygrometer and recommendations adapted to the building.
Frequently Asked Questions: Silverfish
How do I recognize silverfish (silverfish) in my home?
The silverfish is a small, silvery insect of 1 to 2 cm, with a slender body covered with scales, which moves in a rapid undulating motion reminiscent of a fish. He is often caught at night in bathrooms, basements and kitchens on the South Shore when the lights are turned on. It appreciates dark, warm and humid places.
What attracts silverfish to my house?
They seek moisture above all and feed on materials rich in starch and cellulose: paper, binding glue, cardboard, textiles and food residues. Damp basements, poorly ventilated bathrooms, and piles of waste paper are ideal environments. In Brossard and Boucherville, they are often found where the humidity level is high.
Do silverfish cause harm?
They do not bite or transmit diseases, but they can damage books, photos, wallpaper, archives, and some textiles by nibbling on them. Their presence is also an indicator of a humidity problem in the house. A large population can settle quietly for a long time before being noticed.
How is treatment for silverfish performed?
Our technician targets cracks, baseboards, crawl spaces and wet areas with approved products, while identifying the sources of moisture to be corrected. Since these insects hide deeply, effective control combines treatment and humidity reduction (ventilation, dehumidifier). We tell you the corrections to be made to prevent their return.
What is the price of a silverfish treatment?
The rate is based on an assessment, depending on the extent of the situation and the areas affected in your home. Since the humidity and configuration of the premises vary from one house to another, no fixed price is possible without an inspection. The amount is presented to you before the work, our services being paid.
Can silverfish be eliminated completely?
We aim for sustainable results that are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, because as long as the humidity remains high, these insects can persist. By combining the treatment with better humidity control, the population is greatly and permanently reduced. Our technician advises you on prevention measures rather than promising absolute eradication.