Flaight Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 I need help. This post is mostly a description of the insect Im having probs with. The other night I found my cat sitting in the kitchen, looking curiously at the floor. I had an inkling for a while, but it seems I have had a (very) minor infestation under the fridge, for about 3 months. The thing is, I don't know what the hell this thing is. They are dark colour (grey to black-ish), thin and about a quarter inch long (7mm) or smaller if they're a baby (lighter colour). It's a kind of arthropod. Imagine Sting Larva from Metroid Prime Hunters, Kanden's transformation. It looks like that. I THINK it has many legs. It's very fast moving. No wings or ability to crawl on the wall (to my knowledge). It has a soft, teardrop-shaped body. I think it's multi-segmented, kinda like a worm. But I don't think it is a worm... but I'm not sure. It comes across like an insect, much like a elongated mite. When I tap it with a kitchen paper, it dies. I think its body is mostly water. They don't seem to do any harm. Just annoying because I turn on the light in the kitchen and I see 1 or 2 sitting on the floor. I approach them quietly and sometimes they notice me and start running around like mad till they go under the fridge. I'm no good with insects in general, so I just use kitchen paper to kill them, pick them up and throw it all away. I need to know what's causing them (e.g. rotten food usually attract flies). I have a cat litter in the kitchen, but it's clean and I've never had this till this summer. I tried to google for it, but no good as I don't even know what it is. BTW, I've never seen them in daylight hours. They only seem to be active in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fresh Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 Just poor some killer around the fridge if they are hiding near it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellmeister Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 Take a picture, you may have discovered a news species that will take over the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluey Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 it sounds like a silverfish...? wiki the name, it has instructions on how to get rid of them ~ i cant post links yet ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiky-NiSuTe Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 it sounds you have water some were on the floor or behind your fridge or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 it sounds like a silverfish...? wiki the name, it has instructions on how to get rid of them ~ i cant post links yet ^^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish Reading it seems like what you've described Flaight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaight Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 Sorry to dig this up lads, but I realise I didn't update on it despite everybody helping me. As you all noticed it is the so called silverfish. Ugly stuff, they're so creepy. I've also proven the scientists wrong by witnessing that they DO climb walls, because I saw one on the wall. I cleared out the floor (except for under the fridge which is clearly where they come from) so I think they got desperate for food and climbed up the wall! Hard to believe, but now I know why I sometimes saw them on the kitchen table. I don't think they're good at it though, but they DO climb walls. They're still around btw... creepy buggers. I think I've given up now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluey Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 if you can find a way to communicate with them perhaps you can negotiate parts of the house to share. perhaps some form of smoke signal? sorry to hear about your problem... but look! that's like, my 2nd post right there!! haha... god this was ages ago ^__^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaight Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 I was around for about a month after the first infestation, got borax and tried to poison them. No good. I think number went down but I still saw them sometimes. Then I got lucky and got to go to Japan on a short trip, and came back. Unfortunately the silverfish are still around. I really hate it, but I don't think I can do more, other than completely clearing out under the fridge which is wedged into the whole kitchen unit. It really is annoying, I try not to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supergrunch Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I had to look at silverfish (dead in ethanol) for an evolution practical a while back... I found them kind of cool, but they did look pretty dirty and fragile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaight Posted December 24, 2007 Author Share Posted December 24, 2007 you find it cool?? Blimey... Apparently they feed on polymer based material like hair and present no harm. I can see that's handy, like earth worms and spiders, they help you out and clean up your room somewhat without side effects. Unfortunately these helpful creatures look creepy. If only they looked like little kitten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluey Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 *imagines tiny silver kittens who can run up walls* ... *shudder* have you tried diatomaceous dust? its used as filter media in many swimming pools ~ you can get it at most garden centers. also try putting a dehumidifier in the room.. otherwise call an exterminator .. silverfish are reeeeeally hard to get rid of, they can live for up to a year without food O_O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkatronics Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 *imagines tiny silver kittens who can run up walls* ... *shudder* have you tried diatomaceous dust? its used as filter media in many swimming pools ~ you can get it at most garden centers. also try putting a dehumidifier in the room.. otherwise call an exterminator .. silverfish are reeeeeally hard to get rid of, they can live for up to a year without food O_O thats quite remarkable, i remember when i did it. i was starved afterwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shino Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 They're here! There's only one thing you can do, learn to live with them, earn their trust and then sleep with their women, and in time your differences will be forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellfire Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Dodongo dislikes smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayseven Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 "The favorite food of silverfish is any matter that contains starch or polysaccharides, such as dextrin in adhesives. These include glue, book bindings, paper, photos, sugar, hair, and dandruff. " Man, they have the worst diet ever. Take pity. Give them your pube trimmings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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