It’s winter. You’re pulling out your seasonal clothing, and.. to your surprise, you see that your beloved sweater is covered in weird holes. Unfortunately for you, this suggests that you have some unexpected visitors.
You may not always see them flying around in broad daylight. However, you may be confident that they are working hard in the hidden areas of your home.
These little insects could cause a huge mess. Still, there’s no need for panic as learning about moths’ habits and their behaviour will help control them and protect your clothing.
What Are Clothes Moths?
Firstly, they are insects from the Tineidae family. They’re found all around the world, meaning you’re very likely to have already encountered and dealt with them.
Two of the most common species of moth globally are the Case-bearing clothes moth (Tinea pellionella) and the Webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella).
Clothing moths prefer to dwell in the dark. They also thrive in infrequently used places of the house, such as closets, attics, and drawers.
To be clear, the harm is caused by the immature larvae of the moths rather than the adults. Although adult moths are irritating, they do not consume your clothes.
The small cream-coloured larvae resemble caterpillars and prefer to devour natural things like wool, silk, fur, and feathers.
The fibre consumption allows the larvae to mature, preparing them for their transformation into grown moths. Weirdly, they can also attack synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon.
This is particularly true when the artificial material is mixed with natural fibres or contaminated with sweat, food, or skin oils. Your preferred wool jumper is, therefore, far more prone to damage than your polyester shirt.
The Clothes Moth’s Lifelong Cycle
The life cycle is divided into four phases: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Clothes moths lay their eggs in dark, hidden areas where food is readily available. As a result, your wardrobe would be an ideal spot.
As previously stated, the majority of damage is caused by the larvae formed when these eggs hatch. Females can lay between forty and fifty eggs at one time. These eggs are tiny and virtually invisible.
After around four to ten days, the freshly hatched larvae can start feasting on your clothing and continue to do it for up to three months. Under more ideal circumstances, the larval stage can last even up to thirty months.
Once the larvae have filled their bellies, they spin a silk cocoon around themselves. Then, they enter into the pupal stage. This stage can take from eight days to several months, depending on the climate and surroundings.
Adult moths emerge with one objective in mind: reproduction. They have a lifespan of only fifteen to twenty days. However, they make the best of their limited time by producing as many eggs as possible. And just like that, the cycle begins again.
Numbers and Figures: Moth Problems
You may think your closet is the only suitable place where the clothes moth could exist. However, it is more complicated than that.
A British Pest Control Association survey found a clear rise in moth infestations during the warmer months. Almost 39% of UK homes claimed to have seen these insects inside. Research also found that destroyed clothing from these moths costs UK homes millions of pounds annually.
Rising temperatures, home heating, and the popularity of natural fabrics have led to a global increase in moth population in recent years. With more homes being centrally heated and moths thriving in warm environments, the insect’s activity lasts longer, leading to increased reproduction.
The issue seems more serious in locations like London, where many homes store extra clothing items for months on end in wardrobes or lofts. One clothes moth larva can consume up to 20 mg of wool daily. While that doesn’t sound like much, a large infestation can ruin your wardrobe within months.
Typical Symptoms of a Moth Infestation
Not sure if moths are lurking in your wardrobe? There are a few obvious indicators that point to the presence of these insects on your property:
- Small holes in wool, cashmere, and silk items.
- Silk webbing on your clothing is something that larvae usually leave behind. They also sometimes leave little white cocoons or casing remains.
- You may find either dead moths or living larvae as well.
If you notice any of these signs, you should act right away before the moths can cause even more damage.
Maintaining Control of Moths: Retaking Your Clothes
Early identification is essential for effective moth control. Fortunately, there are various steps you can take to clear your house of these little invaders and keep them from returning.
Preventative measures
Rule number one is to do frequent cleaning, as moths are attracted to dirty, soiled materials. Wash your garments, especially wool, to eliminate the oils, sweat, and food stains that moths like to feast on.
Dry-washing is also particularly useful for eradicating moth larvae and eggs that could be hiding in the fabric.
Another rule to prevent moth infestations is to vacuum often. Since moths lurk in dark, undisturbed areas, frequent vacuuming of carpets, wardrobe shelves and corners, as well as drawers, would help eradicate any potential eggs and larvae.
To further protect your closet, store off-season clothing in vacuum-sealed bags or airtight containers.
Finally, lavender sachets and cedar wood scent can be used as natural repellents. Just remember that these won’t stop an already ongoing infestation.
Expert Solutions for Moth Control
Maintaining a pest-free home often requires more than just daily cleaning. For serious infestations, you will need to call in professionals.
Moth control experts can best assess the problem. They’ll implement effective strategies to eliminate these flying insects and prevent future outbreaks.
This usually includes the use of specialised insecticide treatments that can kill moths at several stages of their life. The pros can also try to expose the eggs and larvae to extreme temperatures to eliminate them.
This would require the use of heat chambers to exterminate moths from entire rooms. Meanwhile, others may freeze costly clothing to avoid damage.
Last but not least, fumigation is used in severe infestation cases to eradicate moths from homes, especially in large closets or storage areas.
Manual Moth Control Strategies
Generally, experts provide the most comprehensive treatment strategies. Still, you can also attempt some do-it-yourself methods at home to tackle small infestations.
DIY approaches include pheromone traps that mainly draw adult male moths. Thus, they hinder their mating pattern and restrict population expansion. While they can help catch moths before they spread, these traps won’t completely eradicate an infestation.
Another trick is freezing any contaminated clothes for 72 hours. This destroys any larvae or eggs.
Lastly, moths hate heat and light, so exposing infected items to sunshine for a few hours could help get rid of them. Be careful, though, especially with fragile materials that could fade over extended sun exposure.
Conclusion
In the war against clothes moths, information is your most powerful weapon. These small pests are sneaky, but with the appropriate tactics, you can recover your closet.
To stay ahead of the infestation, keep an eye out for the previously mentioned signs and practise excellent hygiene.
However, if you are dealing with a significant infestation, it is preferable to get professional help. The experts will know just how to protect your clothes from those bothersome moths.
So, prepare, take charge, and make sure your favourite outfits remain free from damage.