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Silverfish in GTA bathrooms and basements

Silverfish are fast, silvery, carrot-shaped insects that need damp rooms. In Greater Toronto Area homes they live in bathrooms, basements and laundry areas. They feed on paper, wallpaper paste, cardboard and stored fabrics. Large numbers point to humidity, not a dry, well-ventilated room.

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How to recognize it

  • A small, silvery, tapered insect that runs quickly when a light comes on
  • Three long tails at the back of the body
  • Sightings in the bathtub, on the bathroom floor, or in a damp basement
  • Yellowish stains, scales or small holes in paper and cardboard

What damage it causes

  • Scraped or notched book pages, wallpaper, cardboard and photographs
  • Damage to stored papers and fabrics in a damp closet or basement
  • No structural chewing of framing or wiring
  • A persistent problem while the room stays humid

Where it lives

  • Bathrooms, especially around tubs, vanities and loose baseboards
  • Damp basements, crawl spaces and laundry rooms
  • Cardboard boxes and paper stored against a concrete wall
  • Older GTA houses and any home with a humid basement

Questions about silverfish

Are silverfish a sign of moisture?

Yes. They dry out easily, so a bathroom or basement with regular silverfish is holding humidity. Drying the room matters as much as removing the insects you see.

What do silverfish eat in a house?

Starch and paper: wallpaper paste, book bindings, cardboard, and sometimes stored fabric. They are not feeding on the wood frame of the house.

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