Silverfish

Silverfish are teardrop-shaped, silver-gray insects that thrive in damp, dark spaces and feed on starches, paper, and fabrics. Common in Whidbey bathrooms, crawl spaces, and storage areas, they signal excess humidity and can damage books and stored goods.

How to identify silverfish

About 1/2 inch, silvery-gray, teardrop-shaped, with three long tail filaments and a wriggling, fish-like movement. They are wingless and fast.

Behavior & season on Whidbey & Fidalgo

They need high humidity and hide in bathrooms, crawl spaces, attics, and storage, feeding at night on starches, glue, paper, and fabric. Populations build slowly wherever dampness persists.

Why silverfish are a problem

They do not bite or transmit disease, but they damage books, photos, wallpaper, and stored fabrics, and their presence reliably indicates a moisture problem worth correcting.

Signs of silverfish activity

• Silvery, fish-shaped insects in bathrooms or storage
• Irregular holes or grazing on paper and fabric
• Yellowish stains or scales on stored items
• Activity in damp, undisturbed areas

How Salty Dog treats silverfish

We treat harborage and reduce the humidity feeding them, targeting the damp voids and storage areas where they hide and breed. Learn more about our Silverfish Control service, or browse the full Pest Library.

Frequently asked questions

What attracts silverfish?

Moisture and starchy materials — paper, glue, and fabrics in humid, dark spaces. Lowering humidity is central to controlling them.

Are silverfish harmful?

Not to people, but they damage books, photos, wallpaper, and stored textiles, and they indicate an underlying moisture issue.

Had a good experience with Salty Dog? Leave us a review — it helps your Whidbey and Fidalgo neighbors find honest, local pest control.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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Matthew is a rockstar! He came out on a Friday night after a full day to make sure we were taken care of! Highly recommend!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Prompt, efficient and on-time service. Invoices provide written and visual information of service rendered. Mathew is very professional and knowledgeable.  Would recommend Salty Dog services.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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We really like Salty Dog!  Matthew is very responsive and always on time.  His reports are thorough, he is on time and works with our needs!  Thank you Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Brenda Praggastis 
 
 
 
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Matthew is conscientious and careful. He has worked closely with us to address all of our concerns. He has tailored his efforts to the unique demands of our house as he performed an exclusion. The rodent activity has disappeared inside the house and has been vastly reduced outside. We are very happy with his work.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sharon Heiber 
 
 
 
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Matthew solved our mouse problem! He quickly identified their entrance point and blocked it. That was last year. We haven't had a problem since. Thank you, Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sandi Peterson 
 
 
 
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We had not done pest control for quite some time, (our bad) and one day I needed service right away.   Matthew came ASAP and got us started on the right track.  He did work above and beyond what I expected for a more than fair price and shows up for scheduled maintenance as promised.   He does a great job and I recommend him highly.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Rodger Schnee 
 
 
 
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Matt at Salty Dog is both personal and professional, and provides services that are high quality, and very reasonably priced. He is clearly a service provider first and last. I've had previous experiences(with pest services and other) with national companies, when I felt I was sent a representative that was sales first, service provider 2nd. Matt is also well networked with contractors in our community, and gave me a couple great referrals for other work I needed done. The bottom line is that I highly recommend Salty Dog and Matt for any rodent/pest related issues.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Nicholas Orozco 
 
 
 
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Extremely helpful and quick service who took his time and treated the issues that I had on the spot. I absolutely felt like the work was quality and he did not rush until I was satisfied with what was done. Thank you very much for the help!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 britt buchan 
 
 
 
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We’ve had an excellent experience with Salty Dog Pest Control. Matt’s attention to detail is outstanding, and what really sets him apart is his passion for treating the root of the problem—not just applying a quick fix. He took the time to explain what was going on, what he was doing, and why, which gave us a lot of confidence in the process.

His communication is clear, timely, and thoughtful from start to finish. It’s obvious he truly cares about his work and his clients. Highly recommend Salty Dog Pest Control if you’re looking for someone knowledgeable, thorough, and genuinely invested in doing the job right.