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Moth trouble

JRK

By JRK
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JRK

JRK

Posted
Posted

I was hoping for some helpful advice on how to get rid of house moths for good? They are slowly driving us mad and I've been using this nasty lakeland spray but they keep appearing here and there. I have a feeling we might have brought them with us when we moved in vacuum bags with clothes in but can't be sure. We had terrible trouble with carpet eating moths in our last flat - but I think the carpets at new house are inedible!


Does anyone know how to get shot of these pests for good?


Many thanks!

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Sue

Sue

Posted
Posted

JRK Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I was hoping for some helpful advice on how to get

> rid of house moths for good? They are slowly

> driving us mad and I've been using this nasty

> lakeland spray but they keep appearing here and

> there. I have a feeling we might have brought

> them with us when we moved in vacuum bags with

> clothes in but can't be sure. We had terrible

> trouble with carpet eating moths in our last flat

> - but I think the carpets at new house are

> inedible!

>

> Does anyone know how to get shot of these pests

> for good?

>

> Many thanks!



Hmmm. If you do a search on here there have been several previous threads about the dreaded moth.


I thought I had got rid of mine for good, I had a year or so without them, but now this year they've suddenly come back.


I tried everything previously, and spent a fortune, and the only thing which really worked was chemicals. Lavender, sandalwood etc - they just ignored it.


Having resisted traps for ages I also went down that road, but although they catch a few they don't get them all, and they only catch the male moths anyway.


You can get nasty chemical things which you set off and then leave the house for hours. Sad to say it was only that which seemed to have a good result. I may have to do it again.


Otherwise, those strips you put among clothes are quite effective, but you have to remember to replace them at the relevant time or they gradually stop working. You can also zap moths with a spray if you actually see them, but of course then you either have to leave the room or sit breathing in chemical spray :(


I now have a spray in every room :(


The female moths are the ones which slink along and don't fly. They are extremely fast moving and if you try to catch them they will slide into the nearest inaccessible (to you) space.


The male moths fly. You may end up with squashed moths all over your walls. I'm too squeamish unless I have a tissue to hand.


Good luck!!!!


ETA: You can get a spray specifically for fabrics (but not suitable for clothes I don't think) which will also kill any emerging larvae as they, er, emerge. That seemed quite effective (I had had cushions and wallhangings eaten) but I think it has now worn off, not sure how long it lasts.

DulwichFox

DulwichFox

Posted
Posted

Strangely enougth it's not themoths that do the damage...


...The larva is the damaging stage of the clothes moth. The larval period lasts 35 days to 2 1/2 years.


There are 2 types of clothes moth.


The Webbing Clothes Moth

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/IMAGES/T/I-LP-TBIS-AD.001h.jpg


The Case Making Clothes Moth

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/IMAGES/T/I-LP-TPEL-AD.001h.jpg


Article :- http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7435.html


DulwichFox

Sue

Sue

Posted
Posted

Also, if you leave clothes around they will find them. My problem started when I had a woollen jumper which was at the bottom of my laundry basket for ages because it had to be washed by hand and I couldn't face it.


When I eventually took it out of the basket, a moth flew out but I didn't take much notice.


That was the start of it ... and I had to throw the jumper away in the end because it became full of moth holes.


They also like dusty places (rather a lot in my house at present :( ) and nooks and crannies.


Oh - and whatever is your favourite item of clothing, they will eat it in the most conspicuous place possible.

Sue

Sue

Posted
Posted

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The moths are not responsible for the eating of

> materials.. The females lay 50 eggs then die.

>



Fox, people don't talk about moth larvae eating stuff.


They talk about moths.


I am using the term "moth" to cover anything which destroys clothing and fabrics and flies about (or in the case of the female moth slithers about) as part of its life cycle :)) :)) :))


I imagine everybody reading my posts will understand what I mean :)) :)) :))

DulwichFox

DulwichFox

Posted
Posted

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The moths are not responsible for the eating of

> materials

>

> Kill the moths, then they cannot lay eggs... ?s? o

> no?


The point I make is an important one.. The larval period lasts 35 days to 2 1/2 years.


So you kill all the moths.. Then later you are infested again..


This is why people say. 'We had them 2 years ago. Was all ok last year.. and the little buggers are back again..




Foxy

JRK

JRK

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks everyone for your input and advice. It's reassuring to know it's not just me who gets crazy by these horrible things. I never used to have a problem with moths but now they gross me out just because they are everywhere and those lilttle lavae wriggling around are enough to make me gag. I got an extendable duster which is helping in the smooshing of them.


Thanks for the photo ref dulwichfox, I think it has to be webbing moths as they look just like that. I HATE THEM.


I just ordered 6 x moth fumer things to help me with my quest to rid East Dulwich of moths. If they eat my nice fancy rug I bought I'll be livid. Or my alpaca coat. Or anything else for that matter.

KrackersMaracas

KrackersMaracas

Posted
Posted
JRK I hate them too. Words cannot describe my utter revulsion when I found my other half's wool jacket (too small and 10 years old) in the back of a cupboard LITERALLY CRAWLING. I've had to put a ban on buying nice things. If I like it, moths (larvae) will eat it. We didn't have a problem before moving to our new place 3 years ago, so I wonder if as Fox says they were a "residual" problem that resurfaced in time
DulwichFox

DulwichFox

Posted
Posted

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Curiosity has now bitten this moth eaten old dog

>

If the males are the only ones with wings then how do the females get into your house in the first place

>

> I can only guess at being transported by people on

> their clothes but it is a curious question



They hatch from eggs...


Please dont do the chicken / egg stuff.


Any clothes moths fluttering around the house are probably males, because females travel by either running, hopping, or trying to hide in the folds of clothing.


Foxy

DulwichFox

DulwichFox

Posted
Posted

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I read that most moths actually walk about, not

> fly.

> Only a small % apparently fly from A to B.


That's right.. Like I said .. Any clothes moths fluttering around the house are probably males, because females travel by either running, hopping, or trying to hide in the folds of clothing.


They must travel or no one would ever get them..


Once you have them.. they are very difficult to get rid of..


Foxy..

TheArtfulDogger

TheArtfulDogger

Posted
Posted

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes, Foxy, but how do the eggs get into your

> house?



Thank you Loz


As I said HOW do the females / eggs get into the house foxy?.... Stop avoiding the question by talking about chickens now and tell the good people of ED how you get the infestation in the first place !

Sue

Sue

Posted
Posted

You need to kill any adult moths you see because the females will lay eggs and the males will mate with the females.


As I said above, you can get chemicals which will kill not only adult moths but also larvae as they emerge.


Whatever you do they will come back eventually by some means, so you need to be very vigilant and make sure the paper strips among your clothes etc are kept up to date.


You also need to move things about. I have found moths in a pile of spare towels in my bathroom :(

Gaynor Hill

Gaynor Hill

Posted
Posted

I never had a problem with moths until this year I have carpet throughout flat and found some under cats big play posts I hoovered and washed down with a basic pine disinfectant so far so good I was reading there are a lot around this year as weather has been warm

First time I have had them in 25years horrible things just keep hovering and wiping with disinfectant

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