Silverfish Trapping Tools

A reader asks:

Are there any pheromone laced silverfish glue traps?

Silverfish
Photo: Siga

I know of no traps with silverfish aggregation pheromone. Silverfish aggregation pheromone are non-volatile and have a role in causing silverfish to remain in areas that contain the pheromone.  Silverfish cannot detect it from afar. Thus it is not an attractant that brings silverfish to the pheromone; it only reduces the movement of the silverfish that visit the area by chance.

Most silverfish traps contain glue that immobilizes silverfish that contact the trap.  Silverfish become trapped in the glue before  contacting the pheromone.  Silverfish aggregation pheromones and other contact pheromones do not increase trap captures and are not useful for monitoring or mass trapping as a means of control.

Silverfish are difficult pests to control. They often harbor in walls or other areas that are not easy to remediate. Keys to silverfish control are to remove potential food items (not always possible) and to lower humidity to levels that make the microclimate unsuitable for the silverfish. Traps can be used for both monitoring and elimination of silverfish. A common glueboard trap works well for silverfish. Small pieces of cardstock, about the thickness of a penny (pennies work too) are placed at the corners and center of the board. The board is placed on the floor, resting on the card stock pieces with the glue facing the floor. Silverfish like to crawl under cracks. When the crawl under the trap, they become stuck on the trap.  Combining methods has the best chance of eliminating a silverfish infestations.  Traps alone are unlikely to eliminate a silverfish infestation.