Firebrats
Have you ever wondered what kind of insects inside your home eat your cereal, wallpaper, flour and even leave stains on your clothes? Well, maybe there are firebrats that are commonly found outside but are considered pests when found inside.
Firebrats can be brought accidentally inside the building or a house through a box of any material that came from infested areas or can move indoors from outside. Once they got inside a house they will search for food and stay near it. They eat large variety of materials especially foods that are high in protein, starch or sugar including vegetables, cereals and flours; fabrics like linen, silk, rayon and cotton; and also paste or glue. These insect can live without eating for a month. The damage can be recognized by irregular feeding marks and the presence of feces.
Recognizing the presence of firebrats
Firebrats are small insect that measure about 1 to 1.5 cm and are similar to silverfish. They have carrot-shaped bodies and have two long antennae on the head. Younger firebrats are identical to adults but are smaller. They can move very fast and spotted gray-brown in color. Female lay eggs at their 1½ to 4½ months in the temperature of 90-106 F or 32-41 C and may lay eggs of up to 195 in their lifetime. These insects live in places with high temperature and humidity. They are mostly found in bakeries particularly near in broilers or furnaces. They are also found under leaf litters and rocks and widely distributed in most part of the world. Firebrats are considered pests inside the home as they contaminate foods, stain clothes and damage papers but they do not cause major damage, totally harmless and do not spread any disease.
These insects are active at night and hide at day. Their eggs are laid in narrow spaces such as cracks and crevices. Firebrats are associated with closets, bookcases, storage areas and basements. They move quickly, stopping at short period and move fast again. These insects can’t climb on vertical and smooth surfaces and may be found trapped in bathtubs, sinks and other similar places.
Getting rid of firebrats
If you suspect that your home is infested by firebrats, search the source of infestation. Inspect the basements, storage areas, closets or other areas where they might hide. You can use sticky traps to capture these insects. Firebrats prefer damp areas, so the problem may be corrected by drying out damp areas with the use of fan or dehumidifier. Repairing leaking roofs and pipes, ventilating closed rooms and sealing concrete walls and floors may also help. Make sure the ventilation fan is used in bathrooms during baths and showers. Also provide air spaces between heavy objects and materials if you can’t move them to have good air circulation. You can also reduce them by removing their food sources, especially those that are stored in damp areas. Remove old papers, boxes, books and other mess where they can hide. Also seal crevices and cracks in walls, cupboards and baseboards to reduce harborages. If the problem occurs in the roof, provide enough ventilation to avoid moisture accumulation. If larger numbers of firebrats are discovered you might need to use insecticides to reduce them, although it is not normally necessary to use insecticides for those insects.
To see these horrible firebrats in action, check out the video below!