SILVERFISH AND FIREBRAT

HOW TO CONTROL THEM

Silverfish and firebrats cause damage in
homes by eating foods and other meterials
that are high in protein, sugar, or starch.
They eat cereals, moist wheat flour, any
paper on which there is glue or paste,
sizing in paper (including wallpaper) and
bookbindings, starch in clothing, and rayon
fabrics.

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DESCRIPTION & HABITS

Both of these insects are slender and
wingless. They are cerered with scales.
Adults ave 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 the
adults except that they are smaller.

Both insects have two long, slender feel-
ers at their head end, and three long,
taillike appendages at the hind end. Each
appendage is nearly as long as the body.

Silverfish and firebrats are active at
night and hide during the day. When
objects under which they are hiding are
moved, they dart out and seek other hiding
places.

WHERE FOUND

Silverfish and firebrats are common in
homes throughout Canada, The silverfish
lives and develops in damp, cool places,
especially basements. Large numbers may be
found in new buildings in which the walls
are still damp. The firebrat lives and
develops in hot, dark places, such as axa
around hot water and heat pipes.

They may be found in bookcases, around
closet shelves, behind baseboards, and
behind window or door frames.

DEVELOPMENT

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

The females lay eggs at any season. Thev
usually lay eggs in secluded places, such
as behind books or on closet shelves;

occasionally they lay them in the open.

Silverfish lay only a few eggs at one
time; they may lay several batches over
a period of weeks. The eggs are whitish,
oval, and about one thirty-second inch
long. They hatch in 2 to 8 weeks; the
length of time it takes them to hatch
varies with the temperature.

Firebrats lay about 50 eggs at one time
they may lay several batches. The eggs
are soft, white, and opaque when laid;
later they have a yellowish tinge. They
hatch in about 2 weeks.

Silverfish and firebrats reach maturity
3 to 24 months after hatching. Their rate
of growth depends on the temperature and

humidity.
CONTROL

Silverfish and firebrats can be con-
trolled by using commercially prepared
sprays or dusts that contain Baygon,
chlordane, diazinon, lindane, malathion,
or ronnel, All except malathion and
ronnel should be used to treat limited
areas only.

Control with sprays and dusts may not
be immediate. But if the spray or dust is
properly and thoroughly applied it will
leave a residue that will bring about
control of either insect in a few weeks.
If some degree of control is not achieved
in 2 or 3 weeks a second and more
thorough treatment is advisable.

SPRAYS: Oil sprays containing either 2
percent of chlordane, 2% of malathion, 12%
of ronnel, 0.5% of Baygon, 0.5% of lindane
or 0.5% of diazinon are preferable for
home use.

Apply spray with an ordinary household
sprayer. Spray around baseboards, door
and window casings, bookcases, shelving,
closets, and in other storage areas, and
places where pipes go through walls or
floors.

DUSTS: Dusts containing either 5 or 6%
of chlordane, 4% malathion, or 1% of
lindane may be used if there is danger
that the oil solution would cause a fire.
Apply the dust with a hand duster,
Blow the dust into cracks, or spread a
thin film wherever the appearance of the
deposit will not be objectionable.

“USE PESTICIDES SAFELY - FOLLOW THE LABEL.

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