When we think of moths we generally think of the ones that we see at night when a light is...
When we think of moths we generally think of the ones that we see at night when a light is on, but it’s actually the species of moths that we don’t typically see that are the problem when it comes to keeping your clothes and carpets safe. But don’t worry! We’ve got everything you need, from top tips to tried-and-tested moth-ridding products, to help you protect your home from the devastating damage caused by fabric-feeding moths.
It’s not actually the moths that eat your clothes, it’s the larvae, making them very hard to spot until it’s too late and you see the tell-tale holes in your favourite sweater and soft furnishings. Each female moth can lay up to 200 eggs at a time, and each larvae takes between 2 to 9 months to mature into a moth… that’s a lot of time for them to munch on your belongings!
Dark, warm places like wardrobes and airing cupboards provide the perfect breeding ground for these unwelcome visitors, and with winters becoming warmer and our homes being consistently warm throughout the year, clothes moths are thriving and becoming a year-round problem in many households.
It’s important to know the type of moth to look out for, as the ones you see flying around your home and bashing into light bulbs are perfectly harmless (even if you find their erratic, fluttery flight paths and tendency to head straight towards you a bit unnerving!). Here are the two main culprits...
Only about 6-10mm long, common clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) are much smaller than the big, fluttery moths you see flying around your home. And the larvae (the ones that cause all of the damage) are tiny – just 1mm long when they hatch – so they’re even harder to spot, though they do leave a cobweb-like trail in their wake. Lovely.
Similar to the common clothes moth, the case-bearing clothes moth (Tinea pellionella) is very small. The main difference is that the larvae creates a case using the fibres from the clothes it munches on, effectively camouflaging itself and therefore making it harder to spot – until you see the tell-tale holes…
Clothes moths can’t fly very far – in fact, some of them don’t fly at all, preferring to scuttle about – so it’s highly unlikely that they will fly in through open windows. Couple that with their expensive tastes – they favour natural fibres like wool, cashmere and silk rather than synthetic textiles – and it makes sense that antique rugs, jumpers from the charity shop and second-hand furnishings are the most likely culprits for new moth infestations. Spray any second-hand garments or soft furnishings with Moth Stop Fabric or Carpet Sprays to kill off any eggs or larvae, and you’ll stand a better chance of preventing clothes moths moving into your home.
A moth trap will warn you of the presence of clothes moths, so you can take action before finding lots of holes. Adapting the principle used in traditional flypaper, our Moth Stop Moth Traps release pheromones to attract adult moths and then trap them on their sticky pads – if you find tiny moths stuck to the pad, you’ll know you’ve got clothes moths and can take the necessary action. Stand or hang the moth trap in any moth ‘danger area’ – Moth Trap. The pad remains effective for up to 8 weeks and an indicator shows when it’s time to replace it.
