It is common to find bugs, like flies and beetles, around fixtures as light attracts them. But is this the same for silverfish? Is the LED light in your house the reason for the silverfish infestation?

Silverfish are nocturnal insects and choose dark and damp places as their habitat. So, LED lights do not attract silverfish. You will find them in areas like the bathroom, washer, and dryer rooms as they prefer humid areas. If you find them near LED lights, it can be due to food hunting; it has nothing to do with LEDs. 

LEDs aren’t the reason for silverfish infestation, but what attracts them to your house? Continue reading to clear up this concept and save your home from silverfish infestation:

What Are Silverfish & Can LED Light Attract Them?

Silverfish is a small, wingless insect with a slim body. The fish-like tail and antenna on the head are the season for which they are known as silverfish. These bugs are primarily active at night and live off waste products like sugar crumbs, glue from books, fabrics, and pet food. They are also known to eat dead insects. 

One fun fact about these silverfish is that they are very fast in movement. You will find them hiding in any hole or crack in the house. As mentioned above, they like humid areas, meaning any damp location is perfect for them. The most common places to find them include the bathroom, washer, dryer room, and sometimes under the sink in the kitchen. Furthermore, they are also found inside closets and in bookcases. 

As far as their lifespan goes, silverfish can live up to 8 years. In some instances, they can live without food for a long time. Even though silverfish are no threat to humans, they can damage belongings if they infest a house. One easy way to find their infestation is to look for their droppings around the house. These usually look like black dots; sometimes, you might also find yellow stains on your possessions. 

Silverfish prefer dark and humid places, and they are not attracted by LED lights or any light in general. You might only find them around light areas because they are looking for food. So, seeing them around LED lights doesn’t mean the lighting attracts them. Silverfish avoid light and never find a well-lit light suitable for their habitat. This reduces the chances of LED lights attacking these bugs.

What Attracts Silverfish? 

If you find silver bugs around LEDs, it necessarily doesn’t mean light attracts them. So, why do silverfish infest your house? Well, here I’m listing out the reasons for which your house is infested with silverfish: 

Moist & Humid Areas

Silverfish prefer moist and humid places. You usually find them in the bathroom, washer and dryer room. Besides, the area under the kitchen sink is a favorite spot for these bugs. So, if you detect silverbugs in your house, look for these places. You shall find a sign that either of the places mentioned has a water leak issue. This leads the surrounding area to rot, creating a damp environment suitable for silverfish habitat.  

Darkness 

Silverfish are nocturnal insects, meaning they are most active during the night. So, if you come across silverfish, they will quickly shift to a different dark place. And because of their tiny body, they can squeeze into any tiniest dark space or gaps in your home. These bugs come out from their hive at night to search for food when lights are usually off. So, you will find them in your house’s dark rooms and spots. This could be your store room, staircases, drawers, or any damp, dark area. 

Secluded Areas

As previously mentioned, silverfish prefer small and squeezed-in-tight places. These places are usually near food sources, making them easy to find. If there are signs that your house is infested with silverfish, it’s wise to look for places in the cabinet, under the kitchen sink, or behind the toilet basin.  

Areas With Food

Silverfish food sources are usually starchy foods like carbohydrates, cereals, sugar crumbs, bread, and protein. Besides, they are also fed on dead insects. They also consume food products that are rich in dextrin. So it’s wise to check places like pantries and dark and damp areas where you store foods to find their existence. They are also known to eat pet food, so regularly check the pet food bowl and clean it after every meal.

Fabric & Paper Product

These tiny bugs are fond of paper; they will have their tiny teeth cut off the paper edges or make whole inside books. You may find them on your bookshelf or newspaper rack. Silverfish are also known to eat clothes, which means they like fabrics. And if you look up in the closet of old folded clothes or wallpaper, you may find them.

Why Are Silverfish Not Attracted To LED Lights?

Usually, when we look around an LED light bulb, we can see dead insects, which raises the possibility that silverfish may be attracted to LED lights. However, LED lights usually do not produce enough heat for the silverfish to be attracted to them. Another reason is that silverfish prefer dark and damp places that have no relationship with lights. Below are some other reasons why silverfish are not attracted to LED lights:

LED Lights Do Not Contribute to Humidity

A place with a good humidity level is where silverfish like to live. They live and reproduce in damp, humid areas. They can also tolerate temperatures that are up to 38 degrees. So if you see silverfish in your kitchen or the bathroom, it’s probably because of humid and damp places, not because of the LED lights. 

LED Lights Eliminate Darkness

Another thing mentioned multiple times earlier is that silverfish love the dark place. So, it is evident that any place that isn’t dark will not be ideal for silverfish. As silverfish are more active at night, you will barely see them in the light. And the moment you turn your LED lights on, you will see these bugs run and hide immediately.

Silverfishes Don’t have Compound Eyes

Silverfish do not have compound eyes like houseflies, so they cannot receive the lights. This means their eyes are very light-sensitive and only look for food at night. That is another reason why they avoid LED lights. 

No Adequate Warmth

In addition to humid, dark places, these bugs also like warmth. But that doesn’t mean they prefer the warmth of LED lights. Furthermore, the heat LED lights provide isn’t sufficient for the silverfish. In fact, LED lights operate at a low temperature without causing any overheating issues. That is why they are not attracted to LED lights. 

Do LED Strip Lights Attract Silverfish?- Why?

LED strip lights are a popular variant of LED lights. These are thin, flat-shaped fixtures with LED chips arranged through the length of the PCB. Though they appear tiny compared to traditional fixtures, LED strips illuminate brightly. So, the silverfish benign doctrine insects are not attracted to LED strips. However, if you don’t turn on the lights too often and have gaps or holes when installing the strips, silverfish can be hidden within. But this is too rare and only possible if your house is already infested with silverfish. Unless and until there is no chance the LED strip lights will attract silverfish to infest your space. 

How Can I Prevent Silverfish From Entering My Home?

Bugs, whether big, small, harmful, or harmless, can be very annoying to deal with in the house. The moment you notice them around your house, you feel they are not clean or unclean. So, there are many reasons why they might have infested your home. But instead of worrying, you can also look for ways to prevent them from entering your home. Below are reasons you can change to avoid them from entering your home:

Seal Cracks

Look for places around the house that might have cracks or leaks. Once you find the cracks/leaks, seal them up immediately. That is the best way to keep silverfish away. When there is no crack or leak in your foundation, window, or doors, silverfish cannot enter.

Inspect Plants

Remember, plants will bring different types of insects into the house. So, if you like gardening, inspect all the plants regularly. Besides, try to keep them on the balcony or in a room. If you have indoor plants, inspect them daily.

Regular Cleaning

Cleaning is another way of keeping silverfish away from your house. Regular cleaning, dusting cabinets, and moping will keep silverfish away. When cleaning, try to get in every edge and corner of the house, like the edge of the wall and cupboards. Furthermore, garbage bags should be changed regularly after every use. The cleaner your house environment, the fewer insects or bugs will enter. 

Ventilation

Places like the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room should be well-ventilated. Otherwise, moisture will build up, causing the silverfish to become infested. Silverfish love damp and humid environments, so a non-ventilate room would be their perfect habitat. For instance, the store room of your house where sunlight doesn’t reach and does not have a sufficient air flowing system. So, if you do not have a ventilation system, install them and make sure to clean the ventilation system regularly. And if you live in a house that isn’t new, you can buy a dehumidifier to eliminate the humidity. You can use dehumidifiers in closets, laundry rooms, and kitchens to eliminate damp air.

Seal Food

All types of food, whether liquid, solid, or semisolid, should be adequately sealed in airtight containers or bottles. Look and buy containers specially designed to keep the insects or bugs out. Also, store the food in the fridge if needed.

Keep Clothing Dry

As mentioned earlier, silverfish love damp areas, so only store thoroughly dried clothes. And do not leave clothes in the damp area either. Hang clothes to dry as soon as you wash them to avoid keeping them wet for a long time.

Try Using a Chemical Solution

Another thing to consider is using chemical solutions. Even though they are not always the safest option, you can always try boric acid. This type of chemical helps kill insects by attacking their stomach and killing them.

Consider Using Traps

If you do not feel safe using strong chemicals in the house, you can always use traps that are designed to catch insects like silverfish. You can also make traps by yourself with simple household items like newspapers. For example, wet a newspaper and place it where you think the infestation might be. Since silverfish love damp places, the newspaper will attract them and start investing in them. After a few days, you can discard the whole newspaper. 

Another straightforward and affordable method is using the sticky trap. You can purchase them online, at a local shop, basically anywhere. You can buy several sticky traps and place them in places you think have the most silverfish infestation. Within a week, you will see excellent results. 

Dry Bay Leaves

This is the easiest method of getting silverfish away from your home. Dry bay leaves can be found in your kitchen or purchased from your local food market. These dry bay leaves have an oil in them that repels silverfish. Placing a few leaves in different corners of the house helps you get rid of silverfish quickly.

Seek Professional Help

If you fail to do any of the above-mentioned options and notice that the infestation of silverfish is out of control, your final hope is to look for a pest control service. These companies are designed to come to your house and help you eliminate bugs or harmful small animals at any time. 

Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of Silverfish   

You can also use natural remedies to get these bugs off your property. You might not want to use strong chemicals or traps in the house for many reasons, such as if you have a pet or the chemicals may harm your babies. Below are some natural remedies for you to look for:

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a white powder produced from the remaining fossilized algae. This is the best natural method because when silverfish come in contact with the powder, it instantly kills them. It is even safe to use if you have babies or pets around the house. Use this powder to place it in a small container and keep it where you think the infestation might be. You can also sprinkle it in places where you feel silverfish infestation is the most common.

Cedar Oil

Cedar oils or any oil are known to repel silverfish. Try to get cedar oil because it is safe to use around the kids and pets. They are very effective and are known to be affordable methods to keep bugs like silverfish away. You can spray it in places where you saw silverfish. Furthermore, if you have a diffuser, you can put it in it and let it do its work. 

Try Cucumber Peel

Cucumber is the best natural method to get these bugs off your house. Simply peel the skin of the cucumber and place it in that area where you know the silverfish’s presence. Try to add bitter cucumber skins because the bitter, the better.  When the old batch dries out, replace them with the fresh ones. Continue this for some days, and you will get an effective result. 

FAQs

The Bottom Line

After all these discussions, you can reach the conclusion that LED Light does not Attract silverfish.  Instead, it helps you keep silverfish away.  Since silverfish hate lit areas, there is no chance for LEDs to attract them.  If your house is infested by silverfish, this is probably due to dampness, water leakage, or insufficient ventilation.  There is nothing to do with LED lights. 

Besides, LED lights are less prone to attack bugs than traditional bulbs.  Yet, if your house is located in an area with rampant bug infestation, you can try LED strip lights.  They run at a very minimal temperature and have a soft illumination. These fixtures’  thin and flat design has much lower chances of attacking bugs than bulbs or tube lights.  You can use them for both general and accent lighting.  So, switch to LED strip lights and place your order now to LEDYi.