It is normal to see bugs and spiders surrounding lights. A wide range of insects gets attracted to LED lights. But numerous people want to know if LED lights also attract silverfish.
I have seen these fish-like insects in my bathroom, store room, and even the dark corners of my bedroom.
Nevertheless, I never noticed them roaming around my LED lights. Even no study suggests that a silverfish likes lights.
Silverfish fall in the category of nocturnal creatures. They stay active at night and asleep in daylight. Silverfish naturally like to remain active at night.
So it is right to mention that silverfishes are sensitive to brightness and do not like LED lights.
Let us get to know more about silverfish. We will also find out reasons why they do not prefer to stay near an LED light.
What is Silverfish?
A silverfish is a tiny insect, with having fish-like shape. It is a wingless animal with multiple legs and two antennas on the head.
As these insects have a silvery and greyish-shiny bodies, they are called silverfish.
Silverfish can grow up to 10mm in length. They move quickly. As a result, it is not easy to catch them. With their growing age, they develop a metallic shine.
Silverfish survive primarily on dead insects. In addition, they enjoy eating meals that contain starch such as flour, oats, etc. They may also consume book pages and textiles having a starch coating.
Are you are noticing silverfish in your house and doubting if your newly installed LED light is behind them? You are mistaken.
There could be several reasons they are in your home but LED light is not among them.
Why an LED light cannot entice silverfish? I have put together some basic reasons below.
Let us discuss them one by one.
Reasons Silverfish Can Not Attract to an LED Light
LED Lights Do Not Contribute to Humidity
Silverfishes prefer to live in a place with a lot of humidity. A study suggests that these insects grow in a damp and little warm atmosphere.
A humidity level above 75% is an ideal growing condition for them. They can tolerate temperatures ranging from 0 degrees to about 38 degrees Celsius.
LED lights do not contribute to increasing humidity. Indeed, it does the opposite.
So if you notice a lot of silverfish in your bathroom, there is a possibility that they like the environment. Your bathroom LED light has nothing to do with it. They are around due to humidity, coziness, and darkness in the bathroom.
When you will switch on your light, the silverfish will disappear in a minute.
LED Lights Eliminate Darkness
As I mentioned above, silverfishes love dark places. Consequently, it is not possible that they will get attracted to your light. Like all nocturnal animals, they come out in search of their food when there is dark. Their eyes do not feel comfortable in light.
If they are in your place, they will hide in tiny spaces as soon as you switch on the light.
Silverfishes Don’t have Compound Eyes
These insects like to move around and feed in the dark. They cannot receive light like other creatures since they do not have compound eyes.
The eyes of silverfishes are sensitive to bright light intensity. Therefore, they avoid coming near the bright light source.
No Adequate Warmth
These insects need a little bit of warmth. However, your warm-colored strip light won’t appeal to them.
Unlike conventional lights, LED lights produce a negligible level of heat. They do not provide enough warmth a silverfish requires.
It is another reason silverfish do not get attracted to LED lights. How much hot an LED strip can get, you may read in our article.
LED Light Does Not Provide Them with Food
An LED light attracts a lot of bugs and that further entices spiders and other insects. Spiders eat bugs. However, silverfish do not have much reason to come near a light.
Silverfish do not eat bugs or any insects that come near the light. They survive on complex proteins and carbohydrates, such as oats, cereal, glue starches in book pages, cardboard boxes, beef, etc.
Can an LED Strip Light Attract Silverfishes?
Now it is evident that an LED light does not entice silverfishes. But does an LED strip light do that? The answer is no.
The strip light is also not attractive to silverfish. They do not like any particular color light too like spiders.
Though slightly, some LED lights glow when they are off. They might attract these insects. It happens due to the mild warmth these lights provide.
However, when you switch them on, silverfish won’t be able to tolerate the light.
So next time when you see silverfish in your place, it could be due to other reasons. Maybe your room does not have adequate airflow or ventilation.
Why Should You Worry About Silverfishes?
If you read the study, silverfish do not cause any harm to humans directly. They will not bite you. However, they might pollute your food and make you sick.
Besides this, silverfish can eat pages of your books, especially those having a starch coating.
Starched-contained materials, such as linen textiles, carpets, curtains, wallpaper, book covers, and bindings are their favorite foods.
Following things can also attract silverfish.
- Contaminated food
- Garbage bags
- Wall cracks
- Tarnished dishes
How Can We Keep Silverfishes Away?
Do you see silverfish crawling on the wall of your kitchen, bathroom, or store room?
Wondering how to keep them away? Below are some easy steps for you.
Use Bright LED Lights
Do not be surprised. As I mentioned above, silverfishes hate bright lights. If you use warm LED lights in your places, there is a good chance these insects will avoid coming near the light.
You can affix LED strip lights anywhere in your house where you notice silverfish frequently.
Use Cedar Oil
If you are looking for a natural way to prevent silverfish, cedar oil, and shavings can be good options. It works as a natural repellent. These insects do not like the aroma of cedar. You can either spray oil or use an oil diffuser.
Try Cucumber Peel
Like cedar oil, cucumber peels also act as a natural repellant. It is advisable to use bitter cucumber. Along with silverfish, it will keep various other crawling insects away.
Keep Your Place Clean and Fresh
Always ensure that your place is clean. It must have good ventilation, especially in the kitchen and bathroom areas.
These are more likely to have moisture and damp places. It is advisable to clean all the food particles and objects that might attract silverfish.
If any food item is left, store it in airtight containers. Vacuum curtains, furniture, and wardrobe from time to time.
After taking bath clean and air out your bathroom.
Fill Cracks and Crevices
Silverfishes love to stay and hide in the narrow cracks of your walls and floor. If you notice cracks or crevices in your home, seal their openings.
Citrus Essential Oil
Silverfish do not like potent scents. You can spray citrus essential oil in dark places in your house. Choose essential oil made of bay leaves, lavender, etc.
Try Using a Chemical Solution
If the above methods are not working, use chemical solutions like boric acid. It is a mixture of oxygen, boron, and hydrogen B (OH) 3. The chemical kills insects by targeting their stomach and nervous system.
Consider Using Traps
If you do not want to use chemicals in your house, make natural traps.
Take a wet newspaper and keep it where silverfish congregate.
Silverfishes will attract to the damp newspaper due to moisture.
After a few days, you will notice that silverfish have made this newspaper their home. Discard this paper when there are enough silverfish here.
Besides this, you can also try jar traps. Keep some starchy foods in a glass jar. Silverfish will enter the jar glass but not come out as it is not easy to climb smooth glass surfaces.
Seek Professional Help
If the number of silverfish is uncontrollable, you can look for a professional pest control service provider. They can offer the right treatment for the issue.
Conclusion
All-in-all, I can say an LED light does not have any role in inviting silverfish to your home. Opposed to this, LED lights help you keep these insects at bay.
These lights prevent creating an ideal atmosphere for them. They give your place a bright ambiance. In addition, they eliminate humidity to some extent. As mentioned above, dark and moist places are ideal conditions for them.
If still silverfish bother you, try the above-mentioned tricks to keep them away. Although they won’t bite you, they can cause damage to your books and clothes and eat your food. Therefore, you should prevent them.
