Are Moths Your House Guest This Holiday?
Imagine this- Christmas Season has arrived and you unpack your favorite Christmas sweater to wear to the Christmas party and you notice holes have been chewed in the sweater. Or maybe worse, an oriental rug stored away safely in the attic is unpacked for use and noticeable holes are chewed in the rug and eggs are laid on the underside.
The English word, ‘Moth’ comes from the old English words, ‘modde’ or ‘made’ which means: “to devour clothes.” Especially for someone who may have a large collection of fibrous belongings, moths can prove to be an expensive and annoying pest. Although moths are known for eating clothes, they are also known for eating upholstered furniture, oriental rugs, draperies and other natural fibers.
Moth Species and Habits
There are two moth species that can destroy and damage your textile items. The Casemaking Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella) and the Webbing Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella) are the culprits behind this destruction. The damage that moths can cause can be extreme and once your house closets are infested, you won’t even know it until it is too late. Clothes moths are attracted to perspiration and food stains at amounts completely indiscernible
to the human eye.
Fully formed adult moths with wings are not the culprits- as they actually don’t have functional mouth parts. Instead, their hungry offspring do all of the damage. Adult female moths may lay up to 300 eggs before dying- meaning that these young, juvenile moths can multiply
quickly, creating an infestation.
Moths may also feed on your items if you have them stored in cedar chests or storage units that you do not check often. Make to check your items every once in a while, and seal your clothes in bags or totes if you do not wear them often- especially if your storage area is prone to moth infestation.
Getting Rid of Moths
Once you discover the damage that a moth can cause, it might seem as simple as picking up some moth balls from the local store. However, moth balls are made of naphthalene or
paradichlorobenzene both of which are pesticides and are found to be extremely toxic to humans and to animals. Moth balls are solid and over time, slowly change to a gas and become fumes in the air. By simply being able to smell a mothball, you are literally inhaling these chemicals. These chemicals can cause severe damage to your body, especially if you are inhaling them repeatedly over time. In addition, nobody wants to walk around smelling like a moth ball in public, it reminds you of your grandma’s closet!
There are a few ways to properly clean and get rid of a moth infestation- which is why at Angel Pest we team up with Aladdin Cleaning and Restoration to make sure that our clients houses are clean and free of infestation. Aladdin Cleaning and Restoration provides rug inspection, environmentally friendly cleaning, heat treatment and fumigation, spray treatments, and will even help you store your fibrous belongings in a way that moths can get to them in the future. If you have any other infested spots, such as a clothes closet, furniture or drapes- Aladdin can help you clean those areas, as well!
Remember, it is important to check your furniture, clothes and other natural fibers every once in a while, to make sure there are no pests invading them- especially if they aren’t used often, or in an area you don’t frequent often. If you are going to store an item made of natural fibers, store it in a way that it is sealed and nothing can get in.
Get Trained Help
If you have a moth infestation, call Angel Pest Control! With 34+ years of experience, our pest control technicians are knowledgeable and qualified in safely removing most infestations. Claim back your closet and make sure that no more of your belongings are chewed up by pesky moths.
