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If you’ve noticed that your clothes, carpets and other fabrics are suddenly becoming ruined, chances are you have a moth infestation. Attracted to dark, damp places, these pests reproduce quickly and can soon take over your living or working space without you even realizing it.
Prevent this from happening and keep your property clean by contacting our trained and experienced moth exterminators in your area. We have the knowledge and technology to completely finish every month of your space.
How to identify and get rid of moths infestation?
What is a clothes Moth
A number of species of moth will attack and damage textiles and animal specimens. But common clothes moth is one of the most aggressive species and can be found across the world.
These moths are small only about 5 – 8mm long and scuttle around, only flying when it’s warm. The shun light and hide in dark areas, laying batches of eggs on wool, fur, feathers and skins. It is distinguished from similar species by its yellow-brown tuff of hair on the head.
The larvae (caterpillars) of this moth are considered a serious pest, as they can derive nourishment from clothing, in particular wool, but many other natural fibres and also, like most related species, from stored foods such as grains. The larvae that hatch from the eggs of clothes moths spin silk webbing into a tunnel across the attacked material. They then begin to eat the fibres in the material, which causes holes in clothes or loss of pile in patches on carpets.
Life Cycle
Females can lay eggs between 30 and 200 which adhere to surfaces with a gelatine-like glue. These hatch between four and ten days later into near- microscopic white larvae which immediately begin to feed. After pupation is complete, the adult moths emerge and begin searching for mates and females tend to move less than mates and both sexes prefer scutting over surfaces to flying, also some adults never fly at all.
Life cycle may be completed within one month under the most favourable condition up to 24 Celsius and larvae will still hatch and grow at temperature as low as 10 Celsius and can survive up to 33 Celsius.
Unlike the larvae, the adult moths do not feed, they acquire all of the nutrition and moisture they need while in the larval stage and once they hatch from cocoons their goal is to reproduce.
How to prevent a clothes moth into your premises?
There are plenty of things in houses for clothes moth larvae to feast on such as clothes, furnishing, stored produce and dead animals such as bird and rodents all provide a ready source of food and can support an infestation.
- Take out items hanging up inside your wardrobe and shake them at least once a month as moths hate being disturbed.
- Check underneath seats, piping, in deep buttons and in the seat or arm crevices for signs of webbings.
- Regularly vacuum around the bottom and edges of wardrobes and any shelves
- Chimeys that are open to be checked and clean every year or two by a professional chimney sweep
- Regularly check your lofts and attics for bird nests and to make sure you remove and destroy any nest material found.
- Make sure to check out for clothes moths in the crevices, creases and folds of clothing as well as behind labels.
- Regularly clean clothes before storing them in vacuum bags or boxes with sealed tigh lids
- Always empty your vacuum cleaner into a black plastic bag. Seal it up and dispose of it in an outside bin.
Indian Meal Moth
Introduction
The Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella, is a very common household or commercial pest, feeding principally on stored food products. Indian Meal Moth infestations begin with stored foods that contain the pest’s eggs. When they hatch, larvae feed on materials like flour, cereals, nuts, seeds and other dried food. Indian Meal Moth may infest pantry goods during production, in the store, or at home. Humid conditions help Indian meal moths multiply quickly.
Meal Moth Life Cycle
The entire cycle of the Indian meal moth can take anywhere between 28 and 300 days, with temperature being the main factor.
Females may lay 60-400 eggs at any one time and they will always do so on food. Generally the eggs are less than 0.5mm, not very sticky and hatch into larvae within 2-14 days.
Depending on temperature the larval stage can last anywhere between 2 and 410 weeks and can infest a wide range of dry food such as cereal, bread, pasta and rice etc… The infested food will usually be webbed together with the silk they produce at this stage of the life cycle. Once favourable conditions have been found and they are at a suitable size, they will develop into the pupae stage of the life cycle where they will remain for 15-20 days before emerging as an adult moth. Then the cycle starts over again and again and again.
How serious are Indian meal moths?
While these moths do not carry diseases or parasites, they encourage the growth of mold, leave behind webbing and feces in pantry goods and change the flavour of foods they infest. Those who encounter problems with Indian meal moths must throw away infested items, which may result in large amounts of waste. Infestation can last a long without proper control and prevention.
Sign of infestation- Damage
The larvae are surface feeders. Most of the damage to stored products occurs when the larvae spin massive amounts if silk that accumulate fecal pellets, cast skins and egg shells in food products. The damage to stored products due to this contamination exceeds the amount of food eaten by insects.
Adults
When flying, adults often appear to move in a zigzag motion instead of maintaining a direct flight line. Adults may fly to distant rooms in the house away from the infestation; therefore, they are commonly mistaken for clothing pests. Adults do not feed and normally rest during the day in dimly lit areas of the home.
larvae
The larvae are surface feeders and cover their food source with silken webbing. Most of the damage to stored products occurs when the larvae spin massive amounts of silk that accumulate fecal pellets and cast skins in food products. The damage to stored products due to this contamination exceeds the amount of food eaten by the insects. Larvae may be seen as they wander in search of a place to pupate or pass through the pupal stage. Often , the larvae and pupal stages are seen on walls and where the wall and ceiling meet.
How do I get rid of Indian meal moths?
Controlling Indian Meal moths starts with a careful inspection to identify all the infestation’s food sources. Pay particular attention to items that have remained in the cupboard for long periods or foods that are loosely sealed or are in thin wrapping. Some additional ways of handling these pests include:
Inspection; Empty cabinets and pantries and check inside every food package. Get rid of any food that is infested. When looking for Indian Meals moths, do not forget to look in dried plant and dried flower wreath arrangements.
Thorough cleanup; Use a vacuum to remove spilled food and insects from the empty shelves while paying close attention to the cracks and gaps between shelves and cabinet walls. Cleaning with soap and water is also needed.
Seal Holes: Any holes should be sealed. Remember that the larvae leave the food to change into adults. It is important to check the walls and ceilings in the pantry and the nearby area for crawling larvae. Larvae and pupae can be in cracks, behind appliance and even behind picture frames on the wall.
Proper Storage: Store food products in sealed glass or plastic containers to prevent a re-infestation. If pes food or animal feed is stored in the garage or shed, check it too, since this often is a source of the infestation. Keep these products in tightly sealed containers. Also, food may be stored in the refrigerator.
