It's hard to pinpoint how these things get indoors in the first place, but they do not go away on their own, says Suiter. If you don't want moth hanky-panky in your pantry (translation: lots of babies!), it's time to do some sleuthing. Here's how to get rid of these common pests.
The entire cycle takes roughly 4-6 months. So, a successful moth battle is twofold: kill the tiny, voracious larvae eating through your natural fiber textiles, and kill the moths before they mate, lay more eggs and begin the life cycle again.
If it's clothes moths and the infestation is widespread, they never go away completely. You can keep them off your clothes by emptying your wardrobe and giving it a deep clean (vacuuming first) and then do with your clothes as suggested above (dry cleaning, hot wash, freezing) before putting them back in the wardrobe.
After hatching, the larvae seek out a food source. The larvae then dine until they transform into moths, at which point they mate and the cycle begins again. The larvae and pupa of clothes moths can survive for months without food, which makes totally eliminating an infestation difficult.
Most moth infestations come from the pantry moth or clothes moths. The most common way to contract a moth infestation is by carrying infected items into the home. Food and clothing items that have larvae or eggs hiding within them can introduce a moth problem when you least expect it.
If you sleep with the TV or lights on, there's a good chance that non-pestilent moths will flutter into your bedroom and bother you while you try to sleep. This can be pretty unsettling, especially if you are just drifting off and a moth decides to land on your nose!
Moths tend to dislike lavender and Cedar. Although lavender smells great to humans, it is highly repellent to insects like moths. Cedar is another great choice. Cedar masks the smell of natural fabrics and also gives clothing and linens a fresh, fragrant aroma.
For an instant kill, cleaning containers using a solution of hot soapy water will instantly kill Pantry Moth Eggs. Additionally, freezing items will kill eggs and larvae, although you must wait 72 hours for this method to be effective.
Moths can come into your house through food or fabric items that are contaminated with eggs or larvae. These items are usually unwittingly carried in from the outside. Used furniture, clothing, and rolls of carpet are common hiding places for moth larvae or eggs.
Washing your clothes can kill clothes moth larvae, but it is unlikely to be a suitable solution for the types of garments that will be targeted as a food source. The wash cycle needs to be at the hottest wash setting to kill moth larvae and eggs; more typically used for white cottons.
Just like tackling fleas, vacuuming is a great weapon against moths. A high powered vacuum cleaner can suck up and kill moth eggs and larvae.
Key signs of a moth infestation in your home:
Silky tunnels or furrows found near or in wool fabric and clothing; also sometimes seen in grains and other dried foods. Crust-like spots on rugs, draperies, and clothing. Tiny, sticky tubes (larva casings) on fabric and rugs or in the corners of a room/closet.
Pestilent Moths are safe to touch but some types of moths have spiny hairs that can become lodged in your skin if you touch them. These small hairs are harmless but may cause an allergy-like reaction similar to hives. This agitation reaction may be accompanied by a stinging, itching, or burning sensation.
Lavender — Lavender is a widely-loved moth repellent for good reason. Its floral scent is delightful to humans but repulsive to moths. Our 'Protect Me' Scent Bags can be placed in closets and drawers to protect your garments. Plus, they impart a lovely fragrance to all surrounding clothes.
To inspect for clothes moths, look to see if there are silken tubes in the hidden portions of clothes, such as under collars, or silken mats or patches on material. Both the silken tubes and mats often have fibers and feces incorporated into them.
Adult moths are also a great snack for birds, so these moths spend the days sitting on trees and leaves, before resuming their search for a mate at night.
They Are Looking For Food Sources
If you have any plants in your home that are attracting bugs, moths will be drawn to them. Additionally, if you have any pet food or bird feeders outside your home, moths will be drawn to those as well.
Another popular choice is lavender. It has a great aroma and can deter moths from the wardrobe. You can make sachets with lavender and other dried plants like bay leaves, peppermint, lemon balm and/or rosemary. You can even add some cedar shavings, too.
Launder items in hot water for 20–30 minutes to kill eggs, larvae, and adult clothes moths. Dry clean items that cannot be laundered. Non-washable items can be placed in a Ziploc bag and frozen for 2 weeks to kill the insects. Allow items to return to room temperature before removing from the plastic bag.
No, adult moths do not bite. Moths are mostly harmless, fluttering insects. Because a moth's mouth parts are so small, it is not physically possible for it to bite a human, with few exceptions, including the “vampire moth." The most that will happen is the moth will leave behind a little dust as it flies away.
Dryer sheets typically contain chemicals such as linalool, beta-citronellol, and geraniol, which are known to have some insect-repellent properties.
An astonishing variety of wildlife species eat moths. “Not only do birds and bats consume moths at every stage of the insects' life cycle, so do lizards, small rodents, skunks and even bears,” Mizejewski says.