Silverfish invade Danish museums, threatening cultural heritage and prompting pest control demand

In recent years, many have encountered the unwelcome presence of silverfish in their homes. These small insects thrive in warm, dry environments, often making their way into beds or even oatmeal bags. While their presence can be annoying, silverfish also pose a significant threat to paper and cardboard items, which can spell disaster for museums where cultural heritage is at stake.

Lise Ræder Knudsen, director of the Conservation Center Vejle, highlights the ongoing challenge of keeping these pests out of storage areas. “It’s a significant problem; they can enter everywhere. Without a proper prevention policy, they can multiply rapidly,” she warned. The center conserves and houses a variety of items for thirty museums across Denmark, and while they have managed to keep silverfish at bay, Knudsen has witnessed the destruction of priceless paper artifacts.

At the center, all incoming items are unpacked in a designated area before being brought into the museum, with all cardboard discarded immediately. The museum also employs different traps along the walls to monitor for any silverfish activity.

The issue is prevalent, affecting numerous museums, though a precise count of those struggling is not available. A 2021 study indicated that approximately one-third of museums faced silverfish invasions, a number that has since increased with the insects’ rising population in Denmark. Pest control companies have seen a surge in demand, as more museums seek assistance since the influx of silverfish began in early 2020.

Insect researcher Thomas Pape from the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen notes that silverfish, which belong to the same family as firebrats, are here to stay. Findings show an increase in household sightings from 4% in 2020 to 14% in 2023, suggesting that these pests have become part of the indoor fauna that residents will need to accommodate moving forward.