Have moths been wreaking havoc in your home? Perhaps they have ripped some rather unfashionable and unwanted holes in your favourite garments… or perhaps they have left your carpets looking rather bald? If this sounds like you give Defender Pest Control a call we can provide your home or business with a tailor made, one stop, guaranteed solution to any moth infestation you may be experiencing.
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Types of Moth
Moths are part of the Lepidoptera order with approximately 165,000 species across the world. There are approximately 2500 different species of moth living in the UK and while they are mostly considered harmless to humans and generally not a pest, there are 3 moth species that can be pests when they invade our human structures. These 3 culprits are the Common Clothes Moth, Indian-Meal Moth, and White-Shouldered House Moth.
Common Clothes Moth
The Common Clothes Moth is shiny silvery gold in colour with gingery/brown hairs on their head. They are around 5-8mm in length, with 2 antennae and the edges of their wings appear fringed when closely looked at. The Common Clothes Moth has been present in the UK since the 1800’s and is the most common and widespread clothes moth across the world. As a species the Common Clothes Moth causes the most amount of damage when they invade our homes and businesses- they have the potential to cause extensive damage to wool, furs, hides and feather products. Their larvae can be up to 10mm long and are a creamy white colour with a brown head, and it is the larvae that do most of the damage making holes in your favourite garments and fabrics. The total life cycle of the Common Clothes Moth can take anywhere from 3-10 months. The females deliberately lay their eggs amongst fibres that will make a good food material for their larvae to feed on, and these eggs will take 1-5 weeks to hatch. The Common Clothes Moth remains in the larvae stage for 2-7 months and when they reach adult maturity they will only live a matter of days. In warmer climates Common Clothes Moths have been seen living in animal and birds’ nests and are widely considered ‘good’ in these natural habitats as they deal with natures waste such as dead animals.
Indian-Meal Moth
The Indian-Meal Moth has incredibly distinctive colourings, their two front wings are a reddish brown colour with a dark band separating their front wings from their greyish white hindwings. They are 8-10mm in length and their wingspan is an impressive 16-20mm, they also have 2 antennae. The Indian-Meal Moth is often found flying around kitchens and food stores and is a stored product insect meaning they can infest products such as flours, cereals, and biscuits. They are also known to enter our human environment on imported foods such as dried fruits, peanuts, and cocoa beans. As with the Common Clothes Moth it is the Indian-Meal Moth’s larvae that are responsible for most of the damage that occurs to our stored food products. The larvae are able to penetrate and gain access to most food products through their ability to puncture materials such as paper, polythene, and cellophane. The larvae spin white silken cocoons where pupae are formed and it is these mass amounts of silk that cause the most damage to our stored food products as they leave behind faecal matter, eggshells, and moulted skin casts in our foods effectively spoiling them. When the larvae are creating these silken cocoons it is possible to notice this activity as larvae can be seen climbing walls and ceilings and infiltrating cupboard areas. They can lay up to 400 eggs after mating- these eggs are tiny they- no bigger than 0.5mm and are pretty much invisible to a naked eye, these eggs will be laid directly on the larvae’s food source. The Indian-Meal Moth is sensitive to temperature and in hotter temperatures (above 30°C) the eggs can hatch in as little as 3-4 days, from then it will only take a larvae a few hours to infest a food source.
White- Shouldered House Moth
The White-Shouldered House Moth is brown in colour with a white head and brown mottled wings. They are 7-9mm in length with an open wingspan of 10-23mm, their wings have a fringed texture when looked at closely and they have 2 antennae. The White-Shouldered House Moth is usually an indicator of poor hygiene controls in a home or business, they feed on organic debris and thrive in environments where lots of animal hair and fluff are present. They can be incredibly distressing in large numbers and can often be found in central heating ducts, radiators, bird nests, and blocked chimneys. They prefer humid environments ideally between 20°C-30°C and will only live for between 2-3 weeks when they reach adult maturity. The females will lay approximately 200 eggs near a food source which will hatch in 7-25 days (as with Indian-Meal Moths this varies based on the temperature conditions). Once hatched the larvae will feed on this food source during the night and hide during the day, after 2-5 months the larvae are fully developed and will move away from the food source.
Prevention
As with any pests prevention is much easier and stress free than finding a permanent solution and cure. Below is a list of some of our top tips to prevent moths invading your home or business:
- Ensure your clothes are thoroughly washed before placing them in draws and wardrobes. Moths can be attracted to left-over food stains and perspiration.
- For clothing you do not wear regularly, you can wash these items thoroughly and place them in airtight containers/ plastic garment bags to prevent moths and reduce damage.
- Keep areas where you store clothing and fabric belongings dry and well ventilated to prevent moths being attracted to the space.
- Regularly vacuuming your carpets and rugs paying close attention to corners and crevices can prevent moths laying eggs on your carpets.
- Brush any woollen/fur garments when returning from outdoors to ensure anything on there is not present when you store them away.
- Transfer any cereal products/ products that come in cardboard/ plastic bags to airtight containers to ensure larvae cannot penetrate them and gain access.
- Use a vacuum/ wipe away any food debris left behind in cupboards- this will remove the food source which will naturally deter moths.
- Regularly check over stored clothing, blankets, and textiles to see if moths/ their larvae are present.
- Regularly dusting cracks, crevices and behind radiators will prevent White-Shouldered House Moths.
- Check for birds nest in attics and chimneys will further prevent White-Shouldered House Moths as this a natural habit they thrive in.
