Why do insects appear in the bathroom?
The main reason for the appearance of these creatures in the toilet and bathroom is high humidity. There is an increased risk of insects in apartments where major renovations have not been carried out for a long time, plumbing leaks and there are cracks in dark corners. However, these centipedes do not only start from dampness.
Both long and small centipedes love high air temperatures. Failure to comply with sanitation rules is often enough for bugs to appear. An overflowing trash can attracts silverfish. Favorable conditions for this living creature are created by poor ventilation in the house.
Silver and white silverfish
It is difficult to get a good look at a living silverfish, because... it moves quickly, but in the photo you can see the body structure of these creatures. Both white and silver silverfish are found in human homes. These varieties differ only in color. Some insects have a dark gray or black carapace, but have a shiny silver coating on top.
The structure of silverfish.
Other varieties of silverfish have a transparent white shell. It also has a silvery patina.
Adults look like tadpoles. The head is large and the tail is thin. There are long mustaches on the head. These creatures have 4 pairs of main legs and 8 pairs of auxiliary legs. Thanks to the special structure of their limbs, silverfish crawl quickly both along the floor and along the walls.
The favorite habitats of these insects are:
- far corners under the bathtub;
- places where condensation accumulates;
- hidden communications;
- jars of detergents;
- wet towels, mats and sponges.
These places have something in common - high humidity. Here, adult individuals live and also lay eggs, from which not too long white worms emerge. They look like thin caterpillars. They cannot run fast, so they are most often found in places where wet, caked clothes or towels have been left for a long time, as well as in the far corners of the bathroom, where cleaning is not done often.
Insects feed on organic matter . They consume mold, mucus, toilet paper, food scraps, natural fabrics, wallpaper paste, etc. Thus, these creatures can find enough food in the bathroom.
What is this strange beast?
The parasites that have settled in your toilet or bathroom are common silverfish. These are insects with a small oblong body, thin legs (short legs - 8 pairs, main ones - 4 pairs) and processes on the tail and head.
Silverfish belong to the order of crustaceans and resemble woodlice. These small white bugs move very quickly, penetrate into the narrowest cracks and hide if you turn on the light. They are quite tenacious and once settled, they will remain for a long time. It is useless to hope that the problem will resolve itself. Not only that, but these insects have a high reproduction rate, so the beetle population will grow larger over time!
Adult silverfish can take on different shades and be green, brown, yellow or silver. Light-colored individuals are most often found in apartments. To accurately identify them, look at these photos.
This is interesting! According to scientists, silverfish are the most ancient insects living on Earth. The structure of their body has rather primitive features that were characteristic of the ancestors of modern parasites.
The beetles are nocturnal - they crawl out to hunt in the evening, and during the day they prefer to hide away. Food products for silverfish are:
- Wallpaper glue; Natural fabrics; Mold; Food leftovers; Wet paper; Garbage under rugs and bedding; Rags.
Most of all, these bugs love dampness and humidity, and they cannot stand bright light. The bathroom perfectly matches the tastes and requirements of silverfish, so most often the parasites settle there.
Danger and harm to humans
Silverfish have a weak mouthparts, because... They feed on soft, rotten organic matter, so they are unable to bite through human skin. At the same time, if such an insect crawls around the bathroom, it can cause an attack of fear and other unpleasant sensations.
Silverfish are not capable of biting humans, but are carriers of the fungus.
In addition, silverfish can act as carriers of fungus and pathogenic bacteria. They can harm indoor plants and spoil vegetables stored in the kitchen or on the balcony.
How to get rid of it using professional means?
If bald spots are already noticeable in your favorite sweater, there is simply no time to grow geraniums: you need to look for a solution in the store. Professional chemicals, coupled with preventive measures, will help get rid of moths in your apartment forever.
Aerosols
Sprays are suitable for treating rooms, individual items, and pieces of furniture. They help fight all types of moths and act instantly.
One of the disadvantages of aerosols is the strong odor: treatment with them should be carried out according to the instructions, wearing a protective respiratory mask and goggles. After finishing active spraying, leave the room closed for 1-3 hours. Afterwards, ventilate regularly for several days. It is better to treat individual items (furniture, clothes) outdoors (street, balcony) and leave them outside the apartment until the pungent odor disappears.
There are quite a lot of sprayers, we have chosen the TOP 3 with the highest rating:
- Armol Expert,
- Raptor,
- Raid.
Pills
Special anti-moth tablets work much like soap: they cause damage to insects with a strong, constant odor. Put the tablet on a shelf in the closet or leave it in a closed dresser drawer, and no one will harm your woolen items or favorite fur coat.
The tablets are mainly produced with the scent of lavender - so their aroma is absolutely not dangerous for humans. Although, we must admit that it does not fade quickly and not everyone likes it.
Advice! To protect your fur coat during seasonal storage, put one tablet in your pockets and hide the product in a special case.
Fumigators
If too strong a smell affects not only insects, but also you, choose a heat fumigator: most of the plates have a subtle or completely indistinguishable aroma, while the active substance (insecticide transfluthrin) quickly spreads throughout the apartment, settles on furniture and things, protecting them from pests for 3-4 months. Adults will not be able to reproduce, and already laid eggs or larvae will simply die.
Fumigators are great for people who prefer to sleep with windows open but do not have protective mosquito nets.
Traps
The trap is ineffective on its own, but has an undeniable additional effect. The fact is that sticky traps can only catch adult males (the stickers are impregnated with female pheromones). Which, firstly, leads to a reduction in the population of flying individuals, and secondly, reduces the chances of reproduction.
They should be placed in storage areas for cereals, flour, sugar - kitchen cabinets or drawers. Change as it becomes “filled” - from once every few days to several weeks.
Sections
They act on the same repulsive odor principle. But unlike tablets or plates, sections exclude human contact with the repellent - therefore they are great for allergy sufferers or families with small curious children and animals.
A small plastic box is attached anywhere (usually inside a closet/chest of drawers), closer to warm woolen and fur items. Thanks to the sections, the moth does not lay larvae, and those already laid simply die.
Fighting methods
To get rid of silverfish, you can use various folk and chemical remedies. In addition, it is recommended to use the services of professionals. After eliminating silverworms, you need to make sure that they do not appear again.
Physical methods
There are different ways to combat silverfish.
To prevent silverfish from living in the bathroom, it is necessary to reduce the humidity. You should carefully inspect the pipes to identify leaks and repair them.
All rooms where insects were previously identified should be thoroughly cleaned and treated with bleach. After the walls and floors have dried, they must be coated with a solution of copper sulfate. This will destroy the silverfish eggs. You should open the bathroom so that the air in it becomes drier. It is advisable to install a forced ventilation system.
All rugs, towels and other things that were in the bathroom must be washed and dried in the sun. It is recommended to throw away items that are very damp.
Traps and bait
The favorite place of silverfish is wet birch brooms.
Traps and baits are odorless. They are convenient to use in cases where there is a possibility of adult silverfish entering from the basement or attic. You can make traps yourself. These insects love to hide in wet birch brooms. They should be placed in the bathroom at night. In the morning, the brooms should be thrown away.
In addition, traps made of glass jars help against these insects. Pour 2-3 drops of honey into the container. The outer surface of the jar is covered with paper. Insects will easily climb into the container, but will not be able to get out. You can use paper as a trap. It should be rolled into a roll that is not too tight and wet. The trap is placed under the bathtub at night. It needs to be thrown away in the morning.
Chemicals
There are many chemical preparations in the form of powders, sprays and gels that can quickly remove silverfish, cockroaches, fleas and other insects. You can use Raid, Combat, Dichlorvos Varan. These products are available in the form of an odorless spray. After using such drugs, be sure to ventilate the room.
The insecticide Tarax helps get rid of silverfish quickly . It is also effective against woodlice, centipedes, bedbugs and other insects.
Gel-form preparations often used to eliminate these creatures include Antiinsect. This remedy is harmless to humans, like the drugs Gettor and Clean House.
Folk remedies
Red pepper and tobacco help to quickly remove silverfish. To prepare the composition you need to mix 5 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. tobacco and 1 tsp. ground red pepper. The mixture must be diluted with 1 liter of warm water. The resulting product is used to treat the walls and floor of the bathroom. After this, you need to rinse the surfaces with water and bleach and ventilate the room well.
You can fight these insects with boric acid. The product is sold in powder form. Up to 25 g of this substance dissolves in 1 liter of warm water. The resulting mixture is used to treat areas under the bathtub and sink. The room is ventilated after the procedure.
You can use salt to repel silverfish. It is scattered in paths under the baseboards in the bathroom and toilet.
Boric acid to combat silverfish.
In addition, it is recommended to regularly wash floors, walls, furniture and bathroom fixtures with water containing citrus and lavender essential oils. This helps repel silverfish.
Centipedes: nods and flycatchers. Insect repellents
Sometimes long, multi-legged, repulsive-looking creatures appear on the floor or walls in an apartment. Usually these are flycatchers or flycatchers - the closest relatives of insects belonging to the class of animals. There is no need to be afraid of them, the creatures are harmless, only in case of danger, the flycatchers emit a pungent odor, and the flycatcher can bite if you pick it up.
Animals live on moist soil, centipedes enter the room by accident or climb into the winter, stay in it for a long time and reproduce if there is moisture, and most importantly, food - cockroaches, flies, butterflies, mosquitoes and silverfish.
To combat invertebrates, physical methods of influence are used; this is enough if the individual appeared in the home by accident. When the population increases, the food source is eliminated: insects living in the apartment. Boric acid or any insecticides are also used.
Attention! Centipedes are afraid of red peppers. It is scattered in powder form indoors.
Prevention of insects
Silverfish are sensitive to environmental factors. To prevent them from starting up in the bathroom or toilet, you need to take care to reduce the humidity in these rooms. Do not dry wet laundry here. It is recommended to install additional heating and ventilation systems.
After each bath in the shower or bath, you need to remove condensation from the walls . You should regularly dry damp corners with a fan heater. It is recommended to treat the room with a solution containing chlorine. Bathrooms and toilets need to be ventilated frequently.
Strange white creatures in the apartment
It would seem strange to see extra living creatures in the bathroom, since this part should always be clean, but for some, a large amount of water and a comfortable temperature play a major role.
White is a characteristic color for silverfish that have just molted. Usually these insects are up to 1 cm, they have an elongated body, silver or almost transparent color. Very be moving around.
Another species is woodlice. Not dangerous to human life and health.
Let's celebrate! Basically, these two species settle in the walls of the bathtub, since all the conditions for a comfortable life are provided for them. Unlike Prussians and other pests, they are not dangerous, do not carry disease, and do not bite.
Small white insects
This description characterizes woodlice. Such an inhabitant is not uncommon and can often be found in the vicinity of the bath. They have a light body, oblong shape with small scales. Woodlice move very quickly, so they are often very difficult to catch and even see.
Long white insects
Silverfish have a long white body. The main difference from other insects is the presence of a large number of legs on both sides.
Most are silver-black, some are brown. The main food for these insects is glue. In addition to typical inhabitants, the bathroom can be subject to attacks by cockroaches, midges and ants.
Description
It looks like an oblong cone-shaped bug. The wide part is the head with two long antennae. On the sides of the elongated body, covered with armored scales, there are six legs. The tail is crowned with three long threads directed in different directions.
Insects reproduce slowly. In the natural environment, a generation hatches within a few months. Under favorable conditions, adults emerge in about 60 days.
Compared to other household pests, silverfish pose the least danger. Since they live in large families, an accidentally introduced pair of insects will take a very long time to rebuild the colony. Therefore, a person has enough time to destroy accidentally discovered insects.
Woodlice
Wood lice often appear in the bathroom and toilet. They are mistakenly called insects, although they belong to the class of crustaceans. It’s just that the relatives of crayfish have adapted to life on land, although they look for places with high humidity. They are easy to distinguish by their appearance - they have an oval body, convex at the top, divided into segments and covered with hard plates. The body may be light, with a slight yellowish tint, or dark brown or gray. Another distinctive feature is their behavior: in case of danger, woodlice curl up into a ball.
These insects are frequent guests in the bathroom. They are called wood lice
Woodlice feed on rotting organic matter. Spoiled vegetables, fruits, herbs are from the diet. Fungi that develop in damp areas are also suitable for them to feed on. Therefore, in addition to the bath and toilet, they can be found in the kitchen, and brought in with spoiled food. It also finds them in rooms if apartment dwellers or pets have a habit of leaving food under beds or sofas.
You can get rid of wood lice in the bathroom and toilet only by thoroughly drying the room, removing all possible sources of food. In addition to the measures described above (prevent water from getting on the floor, walls, improve ventilation), it is necessary to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. You can use a solution of bleach, Domestos, and other similar products for these purposes.
Types of moths
- Fur coat . This is a small insect with a maximum wingspan of 15-16 mm, colored clay yellow. There may be small dark spots in front of the central part of the wings. This moth usually eats exclusively clothes made from natural materials. Its larvae are white and look like worms with almost no hairs. They have eight short legs located on the abdomen. The skin is whitish, but almost transparent. Through it you can see the stomach itself and even its contents, the head is brown in color. The larvae usually feed on fur, live in a portable case, and along the way gnaw off all the hair, regardless of whether it will absorb it or not.
- Clothes. It is larger when compared with the fur coat - its wingspan reaches 22-24 mm. The fore wings near the base are violet-brown in color, in the middle area they change color to light yellow, and near the apex there is a violet-brown spot. The head is covered with light fluff. The larva of such a moth is similar to the fur moth. Clothes moth larvae live in the folds or in the depths of cloth or drapery material. Outside, the space that the larvae eat through is almost unnoticeable, however, the outer layer of tissue becomes very, very thin. As a result of this, it breaks through literally in a few days.
- The furniture butterfly is a light yellow butterfly, and its wings are shiny. The head is rusty yellow. Near the base, the fore wings are slightly brownish. The larvae of such moths first eat away the hair stuffing of the furniture. They try to move in the direction of matter patterns. When they are about to pupate, they make their way outside where they congregate on the underside of chairs or sofas. In winter, the development of larvae takes about 5 months, in summer it happens much faster - in just 2 months. Butterflies fly for 3 months - March, April and May, another generation emerges in July and August.
- The cereal is a silvery-white insect. The front wings have a variable brown pattern; the abdomen is gray in color. The span of the hind wings can be 15 mm. Butterflies fly twice a year - in mid-spring and towards the end of the summer. Each female lays up to a hundred eggs on grains of bread, with 1-2 eggs per grain. The larva collects several grains into a common bunch, entwines them with a web and feeds on them. Pupates immediately. Can eat dried fruits and various kinds of seeds.
Reviews
- After moths appeared in our closet, we were forced to throw away most of our fur items, however, even this did not help cope with the problem. We were advised to use an excellent moth repellent – Raid fumigator. We turned it on for just a few hours a day, and literally a week later there were no traces of moths left in the entire apartment. – Irina, 30 years old.
- Since we have small children at home, we decided not to use chemicals, however, the Mosquitall aerosol did not give off an unpleasant odor and turned out to be completely non-toxic. We could deal with the moth very quickly. – Vladislav, 34 years old.
Centipedes
These insects are called centipedes, flycatchers, and centipedes. They have a flat body and a large number (up to 40) of long thin legs. Thanks to their flat body, they penetrate even the smallest crevices and can move quickly. The optimal living environment for them is places with high humidity, so they also often appear in bathrooms and toilets, but they can also be found in the kitchen and living rooms.
These insects are hunting in the bathroom
These insects eat flies, cockroaches, silverfish and other small insects and go out hunting at night. In addition to insects, flycatchers can feed on half-rotten plant debris. So the proximity of centipedes helps get rid of other insects in the apartment and this is one of the methods of getting rid of insects in the bathroom. But not everyone is able to put up with such “neighbors” - their appearance is far from the most attractive. Centipedes bite, but their poison is fatal only to insects; it has no effect on humans, although the bites are unpleasant.
Millipedes are rarely poisoned; they are usually caught alone and are simply swatted away. To get rid of them and be sure that they are not in the apartment or house, it is necessary to normalize the humidity (in a private house this is not only the bath and toilet, but also the basement and attic), and eliminate food sources. Then they will leave your home on their own.
