Clothes-eating moths: where they came from, how to identify them and get rid of them

You may have noticed small irregular holes in your favorite wool jumper, or you may have found the carpet thin in places. From time to time, you may even catch the airy flapping when opening the cupboard or removing the storage box from under the bed.

Moths are the pests we love to hate. Animals destroy cashmere jumpers, wool socks, and winter coats one at a time.

Finally, here’s how to get rid of them:

Identify the criminal

First, you need to know what you are trying to catch. According to Paul Bracqhurst, director of the Rentokil Technical Academy, there are two types of clothes moth found in the United Kingdom: clothes moth and clothes moth.

Both types of moths are attracted to the keratin inside, thus chasing natural fibers such as wool and cotton.

“Like any other insect, they found a niche-something they can survive,” says Blackhurst.

“It’s not necessarily clean fiber. It’s old fiber. Worn fiber and clothes; Stepped carpet. They like the dirt, debris and sweat there because they need vitamins to continue their life cycle. . “

As their name suggests, clothes moths are the most frequent criminals in British homes. They grow to a length of 5-7 mm and can have an orange golden head.

“They are pretty lazy when it comes to flying and don’t like light,” says Blackhurst. “”[They can be found in] Dark areas, dark corners, wardrobe areas, behind furniture, room corners, etc. “

Case-bearing clothes moths are similar in size, but are silvery grayish brown with black spots. Be aware of larval stages such as “small rolled-up tubes of fibers” in carpets and clothing. These stages can be mixed with them.

“The clothes moth feeds away from the tube, but the clothes moth stays in the tube and feeds. It always stays there. That’s another way to tell the difference,” says Blackhurst.

Find them

Moths tend to emerge during the warm and humid summer months. These conditions speed up their life cycle, which is usually about 5 weeks from egg to adult. Female moths can lay 40-50 eggs on the fabric and can hatch within 10 days if the temperature is high enough.

When the temperature in the room reaches 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, the clothes moth begins to fly. During the winter, moths are still present in the house, but in small numbers.

Moths can enter the house with used clothing and furniture made of natural fibers. When buying used clothing, it’s a good idea to check and process it before mixing it with other wardrobes.

However, remember that moths can jump into your house before you point your finger at the charity shop.

“They are very often attracted to the bird’s nest … when the birds escape, [moths] Come in and start eating something like feathers, “says Blackhurst. “They also eat dead rodents and other dead animals that are sometimes found on the walls of cavities.”

In addition to finding moths and finding irregular holes in clothing, there are signs of infection in larvae (like small cream-colored caterpillars) and moth webbing.

“Another thing to look for is what’s called frass. It’s essentially a moth poop. It’s like a little ball that tends to be the color of the food they’ve eaten – beige. It’s like a color. Like just a little dirt, it’s absolutely fine, but it’s there with the webbing. “

If I find a moth, is that a problem?

“If you have one moth, it’s alert,” says Blackhurst. “I think one moth is just the tip of the iceberg. Then we need to do more research. We’ll start pulling out the furniture. Stick it upside down.”

How to get rid of moths

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to get rid of the moth epidemic.

Vacuum thoroughly – and ideally vacuum with a high quality vacuum

Prioritize natural fibers and dark, quiet corners that moths tend to like, such as carpets, wardrobes, and loft storage.

Don’t forget to clean the vacuum cleaner as well. Blackhurst explains:In essence, they sit in the vacuum itself, and it will have a lot of natural fiber [inside]… That can cause the epidemic. “

Wash clothes and fabrics – wash at 60 degrees or higher, if possible

If this is too hot for the wool jumper, the best bet is to dry clean or freeze. Moths prefer dirty cloths, so clean your clothes before returning them to your wardrobe. If you do not use it for a while, store it in a sealed bag to prevent moths from spawning.

Also wash soft furniture such as linen, rugs, blankets and towels. These can also attract moths.

Clean and rinse affected furniture

Look for wardrobes, cupboards, drawer corners, cracks, and crevices that can hide moth eggs and rinse thoroughly.

Freeze your clothes

“Put your clothes in the freezer for a few weeks,” Blackhurst advises. “It kills the life stage.”

Invest in several insect repellent technologies

There are moss killer sprays, hangers, powders and balls on the market, all designed to stop winged enemies. Blackhurst specifically recommends sticky pheromone traps that target clothes moths. The glue board catches male moths using the same pheromones that females use to attract mating partners.

“It’s definitely worth looking for some of them,” says Blackhurst. “They are very good monitors. They will tell you if they are there, and if the numbers start to go down, it’s possible that your control program is potentially working. I’ll show you. “

Call an expert

According to Blackhurst, people tend to contact Rentokil after failing to get rid of moths, but he recommends getting experts involved sooner.

“I think you should look for an expert right away when it comes to moth control. Indeed, I know how much damage they can do.”

Professional treatments include furniture heat treatment, freezer treatment, chemical management, and mating interruption programs. They follow up to prevent the invasion from recurring.

Diligence is the key to completely stopping the invasion of moths. “People aren’t thorough enough-that’s what I see,” says Blackhurst. “They deal with intrusion pockets and don’t think it could be elsewhere a few meters away.”

So how do you know that you’ve got rid of the moths? “Really, that’s when the damage stops,” he says. You may be clear when you can no longer find moths, their frass or their webbing and you stop finding holes in your clothes. Indeed, Blackhurst recommends the use of adhesive traps.

“Some of these [moths] Damage is irreplaceable and people are losing their wisdom, “says Blackhurst. “If pest activity really causes people’s problems and pain, we’ll solve it. It’s a hot topic. It’s absolutely amazing.”