If you live in Norway, you may encounter different types of insects in your home. But have you spotted small, wingless, hairier, and dark grey insects with a fish-like appearance in their movement? These insects are fast, and you only notice them when you switch on at night.
If you find these primitive, tiny creatures hiding behind furniture, inside cupboards, or near your bookshelves, you are dealing with Skjeggkre infestations. This is not a new scenario in Norway. People have discovered these tiny insects for over a decade. Homeowners, apartment residents, and property managers have reported increasing encounters with these unwanted visitors. But how do you get rid of the infestation if you don’t know where they are? In this post, we will share the top signs you may have long-tailed silverfish in Norway. Let’s get started!
Why Are Long-Tailed Silverfish So Common in Norway?
You may wonder: why have these insects become established in Norway? A few studies have found a significant increase in long-tailed silverfish populations throughout Norway since around 2016. Several factors contribute to their success.
These insects are known as indoor creatures. They adapt well to indoor living conditions, such as in newer buildings and modern apartments. New homes provide stable indoor temperatures, consistent humidity, plenty of hiding places, and access to food sources. Another important feature of these insects is that they can survive for long periods without food. If you really want to exterminate long-tailed silverfish infestation, know the signs first.
5 Signs You May Have a Long-Tailed Silverfish Infestation
Long-tailed silverfish are nocturnal insects, and they thrive in a humid, moist environment. Look for the common warning signs before discussing the extermination plan. These tiny insects eat starch and sugar. Their favorite foods include paper, books, wallpaper, glue, cardboard, and natural textiles like cotton and linen. So, wherever they find these items, you will build nests nearby. Track their food sources, and you will find the infestation.
1. You See Insects at Night
These insects become active at night when the lights are off. If you switch on your kitchen light and suddenly notice small, hairier, and mottled dark-grey or silvery-brown creatures sprint across the kitchen floor, it means they are already in your home. You can also spot them crawling along walls, emerging from cracks, or moving behind furniture.
2. You Find Them Outside Bathrooms
Long-tailed silverfish are moisture-loving creatures. So, you can often spot them in damp areas in your Norwegian home, such as the bathroom, kitchen floors, and garage. But these tiny creatures can appear in bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, kitchens, storage rooms, and home offices.
3. You Spot Them Near Books and Paper
If you notice damage to archives, libraries, museums, and paper collections, long-tailed silverfish are the culprit behind it. These insects feed on materials containing cellulose. So, you can spot them around bookshelves, paper storage boxes, and important documents; they are already here.
4. Small Holes Appear in Paper Products
If you have a silverfish infestation, you will notice the damage one way or another. They leave visible feeding damage. For example, you will notice tiny holes in papers, surface scraping, irregular feeding marks, and damaged paper edges. You may not notice these signs at first, and they may seem minor, but over time, they can become significantly noticeable.
5. You Discover Insects Behind Furniture
Most insects build nests in hidden areas because they avoid human activity. That’s why many infestations go unnoticed for months. You can look at common hiding spots such as behind sofas, under cabinets, inside closets, and beneath appliances. Use a flashlight and inspect all hidden areas and corners in your house.
Final Thoughts
Long-tailed silverfish have become one of Norway’s most common indoor pests. These insects don’t bite people but create nuisances and damage property. Early detection can help you exterminate them effectively. If you notice the warning signs in your house, call the professional pest control companies in Norway, such as Skjeggkreguiden. They have an experienced team and apply effective methods to get rid of them.
