A huge outbreak of silverfish has put homeowners on the alert over the pests that can lay up to 60 eggs a day.
The pest control company Rentokil has received a high number of call outs to silverfish ridden homes this year as the bugs seek out warmth indoors, reports DublinLive.
But the six-legged silverfish love humid or damp areas, so no wonder they are a common pest across the UK.
Homeowners are being urged to on the lookout about these insects as they crawl indoors in search of damp conditions.
You may have spotted them scuttling across your home at night as they look for food like starches and carbohydrates in the form of crumbs on the floor.
Unfortunately, the bugs can be notoriously difficult to get rid of as they can squeeze into the tiniest gaps to enter homes where they like to cosy up in damp places indoors like bathrooms and cellars.
Their eggs are usually difficult to locate as they are often hidden in tiny cracks or crevices.
Silverfish are known to damage books, photographs, paintings, plaster, and other household items as they feed on both starch and cellulose.
They also devour dead skin and hair from humans.
Home and business owners are most likely to find silverfish in dark, damp, and humid areas such as bathrooms, basements, and attics.
They are nocturnal insects that are usually silver in colour, giving them their distinctive name, although they can also be grey.
Silverfish measure about 10-12mm in length with tiny scales and two antennae and have a tapered, tail-like appearance.
A Rentokil spokesperson said that that silverfish begin to move indoors to escape the cold winter months.
He said: "While silverfish aren’t dangerous, they can become a major inconvenience because of their appetite for starch and cellulose, which can lead to them damaging valuable items by feeding on them."
Top tips for getting rid of silverfish
- Deny them food by vacuuming and keeping dust and debris to a minimum.
- Store food in containers with tightly sealed lids.
- Homes and businesses should also dehumidify their premises through the use of fans, dehumidifiers, or by opening windows to air them out
- Make sure all cracks in walls and skirting boards are filled
