Ever wonder why you are finding holes in your “securely” stored wardrobe? I just may have the answer you’re looking for…. Clothes moths!
Clothes moths are a notorious wool-munching monster. What many people do not know is that clothes moths will eat a variety of fibers including hair, felt, and fur.
Watch your leather and feather as well, because clothes moths will consume many of your animal-based possessions. Items commonly targeted by clothes moths include jackets, blankets, sweaters, carpets, and down pillows and comforters.
There are two types of clothes moths, webbing clothes moths and casemaking clothes moths. The webbing clothes moth is a solid pale color with a patch of hair on their head. This type of moth is a particularly weak flier and therefore commonly hides in dark closets and storage areas.
The casemaking moth, on the other hand, is a little bit darker than the webbing moth with dark spots on their wings.
Clothes moths are often mistaken for Indian meal moths. Indian meal moths feed on herbs, nuts, flour, and various other stored food products; they are therefore likely to be found in your kitchen or pantry.
You can distinguish clothes moths and Indian meal moths by their size and color. Indian meal moths are larger and darker in color; they also have dark brown tipped wings.
Clothes moths are generally no larger than 5 cm and are rarely seen, as they avoid light. If you do happen to see a clothes moth flying around it is most likely a male. Female clothes moths and webbing clothes moths normally travel by either running or hopping.
One interesting detail you probably didn’t know is that adult clothes moths do not feed, in fact most of them do not live longer than a month or so; therefore they are not the pests destroying all of your precious clothing and material. It’s their kids! That’s right, the eggs that adult clothes moths produce eventually hatch into fabric-eating larvae.
The length of time that the larvae feed can vary from several weeks to a couple of year, depending upon their environmental surroundings. Factors impacting their length of feeding include temperature, humidity, and even the quality of their food (yes, your clothes!).
Once the larvae are full grown they spin a silk casing and transform into an adult moth. Once broken out of their encasement, adult moths almost immediately begin laying eggs; which means more larvae to destroy your belongings.
Ok, so let’s get down to it. You want to get rid of these guys don’t you? Following are some tips on protecting your materials and taking care of your moth problem.
1)- Controlling your clothes moth infestation requires a thorough inspection. It is recommended that your hire a licensed professional to facilitate the process and locate all potential sources of your infestation Visit: https://positivepest.net/new-york-city-moth-extermination/
2) Store your clothing and fabrics in tightly packed containers.
3) All items that have been infested should be either disposed of or dry-cleaned.
4) Vacuuming and cleaning will help remove and kill larvae that are already present in your home. Be sure not to forget the quiet, dark areas that moths prefer (e.g., closets and cubbies).
5) Periodically brush off and expose materials to sunlight.
As always, I recommend Positive Pest Management. Our technicians can help you with the administration of chemical treatments (be sure to remove all clothing prior to application) and the use of high temperatures.
Extended exposure to high temperatures, reaching over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, will effectively disinfect materials.
Our newly renovated website www.positivepest.com has extensive information on moths and more.. check it out!
Just in case you misplaced our number… call: 1(800)294-3130 for more information and an inspection in your home.
Yours pest-free,
Christina
@ positive pest
References:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef609.asp
https://extension.colostate.edu/?s=clothing+moths&submit=
