Officials see fewer silverfish reports than in past years

While students in Warren Towers often complain of silverfish and other insects in their dormitories, officials said there have been fewer reports of these pests than usual in the fall 2012 semester.

There have been seven sightings of silverfish — small, wingless insects that resemble centipedes — in the semester, and students from three different rooms have filed complaints, said Bill Walter, assistant vice president for operations and services.

In a residence hall with 600 rooms and about 1,800 students, the scale of these occurrences seems small. Since only a few students reported the sightings, the silverfish appearances cannot be considered an infestation, he said.

“This is just something that is manageable,” Walter said. “This is something that we have to live with in an urban environment, and it is really no worse than it has ever been. In fact, this has been a little better than it has been in years of the past.”

The reports of insects in the dorms have been minimal this semester, said David Zamojski, director of Residence Life and assistant dean of students.

“In an urban setting, we sometimes see insects in university buildings,” he said.

Although the situation is not considered an infestation, the students of Marshall “B” Tower, where the complaints were filed, said they still feel unsettled.

“It’s not a huge problem as of now, but they do eat fabrics and papers and stuff, so I hope we don’t run into that problem,” said Elissa Feist, a freshman in the School of Education. “I haven’t noticed [ruined property] yet.”

Sarah Franzblau, a SED freshman, said the bugs have become a nuisance.

“They are really annoying actually, because you will find them in your closet already, and so you will have to kill them,” she said. “It is just gross — annoying — and they are everywhere.”

Silverfish can lay about 60 eggs each time they repopulate, Franzblau said. Some students said they worry that the few silverfish sightings will turn into a full insect infestation within Warren.

“[The number of silverfish eggs] is gross — it makes me feel as if they are going to start multiplying really soon,” she said. “I have seen them in the hallway and I have actually found a couple in my room.”

Ryan O’Farrell, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he lives in South Campus now, but if he still lived at Warren, he would want the silverfish gone.

“I mean, they’re kind of gross,” he said. “They should find out where they’re coming from and do something about it.”

If the sightings become more frequent, the Integrated Pest Management services will become involved, Walter said. They travel to the site of infestation and use pest-control methods such as laying down traps and cleaning the area.

If these methods fail at exterminating the pests, the pest management services will also spray government-approved pesticides at the site, Walter said.

“My understanding of this situation is that it is small in scale and being addressed promptly by qualified professionals,” Zamojski said.

Before students could move into their rooms, all residence halls were inspected to make sure that they were clean and could meet state health regulations, Walter said.

At press time, there had been no reported silverfish sightings in dining hall at Warren Towers.

“Warren Towers is one of the better buildings on campus,” Walter said. “It was built to last and it has lasted for a long time.”