How to get rid of clothes moths. What does a moth look like in the photo? Folk remedies for moth control

Moths are not only the well-known small and inconspicuous butterflies, whose caterpillars spoil clothes and groceries in the kitchen. Generally speaking, moths are a large group of insects remarkable for their biology and often their appearance.

Among the moths there are both very large and bright butterflies and small and completely inconspicuous butterflies. At the same time, moths live on all continents and have managed to adapt to completely different conditions existence.

Their caterpillars feed on wool and bark, horns and wax, leaves and even ant eggs - it is difficult to find an object of wildlife that is not associated with moths. But at the same time, both stunningly bright tropical moths and inconspicuous clothes moths have structural features that unite them into one taxonomic group and make them similar to each other.

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IN English There is no complete analogue of the Russian word “mol”. The word "moth" in English speaking countries designate both moths and large moths, up to cutworms and silkworms.

Mole as it is

It is customary to call moths all representatives of the group of microlepidoptera - butterflies that have relatively small sizes and for the most part leading a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle.

Another distinctive feature moles is the structure of their jaws - oral apparatus moths are usually of the gnawing type, allowing moth butterflies to feed on very rough food (which is why it is not surprising why moths do not have a proboscis, like many butterflies). Some moths in the adult state are not able to eat at all and live, using up energy reserves accumulated at the caterpillar stage.

Their jaws can be reduced to a certain extent.

The photo below shows a clothes moth and its caterpillar. It is the latter that is known for being able to gnaw holes even in the floor synthetic fabrics.

The gnawing jaws give researchers reason to believe that the moth is a more primitive insect than other butterflies, which have developed mechanisms for feeding on flower nectar through the proboscis. Perhaps it was the ancient moths that were the progenitors of all other butterflies. However, it is precisely the powerful jaws, capable of chewing even the walls of fruit seeds and seeds, that have led to the fact that the moth is an insect that is less picky about food sources than other butterflies.

Note

The moth group includes a huge number of butterfly species. According to rough estimates by scientists, more than 73,000 species of lepidoptera can be called moths, some of which are even invisible to the naked eye.

It is also characteristic of moths that in many species the caterpillars lead a secretive lifestyle and are very inconspicuous. At the same time, it is caterpillars that are the most active pests of plants, and in human homes – of tissues and food supplies.

In the pictures below - in a beehive:

What moths look like: all the variety of colors and shapes

Butterflies and caterpillars different types moths look different.

Moths, which are household pests, are small butterflies with wings about 5-7 mm long, which they fold into a characteristic triangle (see photo). The coloring of most house moths is inconspicuous; only a few species have any memorable patterns on their wings.

For example, a photograph of a clothes moth:

The picture below shows a barn fire:

And on next photo- ermine bird cherry moth, widely known in almost all European countries:

Almost all moths are characterized by very narrow wings when folded. This distinguishes them well from other butterflies with rounded and quite noticeable wings. However, not all moths, sitting on a hard surface, hold their wings the way food or clothes moths do.

For example, ermine moths are characterized by folding their wings into a pyramid with a small protrusion at the back. In the photo - moth butterfly Argyresthia brockeella:

There is a whole group of moth moths that fold their wings into narrow tubes and hold them perpendicular to their abdomen. At first glance, it is difficult to tell that this insect is a moth.

In the photo - moth Caloptilia hemidactylella:

And finally, it is among the moths that there is the largest number of species in the order of butterflies that demonstrate the wonders of camouflage. Given their small size and low flight qualities, the ability to be invisible to predators turns out to be vital for these insects.

For example, the photograph below shows a fireweed moth. With its wings folded, this moth looks like a rust fungus on a leaf, which is very common in its habitat:

And in the next photo there is a snow leaf roller (Acleris logiana) on the bark of a birch, which it very successfully copies:

Lifestyle and diet: are all moths harmful?

Most moths are secretive or nocturnal. In some species, the larvae are very inactive and develop in the same place where they hatched from the egg, only moving short distances in the absence of food.

And in some species, even adult individuals are not particularly inclined to travel. For example, the female of the same clothes moth cannot fly, but only crawls on clothes and the inside surfaces of cabinets:

In nature, many moths, precisely because of their gnawing abilities, turn out to be important links in various biocenoses. It would be hard to call them pests - it is thanks to them that large amounts of organic matter are processed.

For example, many moths are keratophages, that is, they feed on the horny formations of various animals. So, it is the moths that recycle large number feathers, hair and horns of wild and domestic animals. The life of these “utilizers” of keratin is little noticeable - they swarm mainly in the nests and burrows of wild animals - but their work is very important for ecosystems as a whole.

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There are also moths that gnaw out the horns of wild mammals even on the owners themselves. For example, Ceratophaga vastella chews out the keratin in the horns of African antelopes and buffaloes, and the larvae of a related species, Ceratophaga vicinella, feed on the shells of dead turtles.

A huge number of species of moths are typical phytophages: their caterpillars feed on various plants. For example, all ermine and leafminer moths are like this. Moreover, some of their species are so small that their caterpillars live inside the leaves, leading to the appearance of swellings on each leaf - min.

Adult butterflies can feed on flowers, gnawing off petals or stamens, or they can “fast” throughout their adult lives. This, for example, is extremely dangerous for parks. The photo below shows its adult and larva:

But there are also moths that feed on weeds and can thereby inhibit their reproduction. Moreover, some of them even feed on plants that are inedible for other insects, such as wormwood (although, it would seem, wormwood should repel moths and other insects).

How moths reproduce

All moths are very strongly attached to the substrates on which their caterpillars feed. Almost immediately after emerging from the pupa, the females mate with the males and begin to lay eggs, usually directly on the plant or object that the larvae will subsequently eat.

One female makes only one clutch of eggs (about 5-6 hours after mating). After another 5-6 days she dies.

Moths reproduce very quickly. For example, in warm regions of our country it produces up to 6 generations during the spring-summer season. But the clothes moth produces only one generation per year - after all, its food is much less nutritious, and caterpillars on such food cannot develop very quickly.

The larvae of different moths vary greatly in appearance. Most are white or light yellow caterpillars with pink or brown heads and a few clear hairs. Such, for example, is the clothes moth larva shown in the photo below:

And in the next photo there is a caterpillar of the moth Pandemis corylana:

Moth as a pest

Typical pests of agricultural and household There are only a few types of moths. They belong to several different genera and families - true moths, moths, ermine moths, moth moths and some others.

In total, there are several dozen species of such pest moths. This also includes wax moths, which are very harmful to bee hives.

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Many moths are known to quickly develop resistance to various insecticides. For example, the cabbage moth is an insect that was the first to develop resistance to Entobacterin, which certain time was universal remedy pest control.

Thanks to the long history of the relationship between man and moth, a large number of remedies are known today effective destruction these pests in homes, gardens and industrial enterprises. Almost all moths die from nerve-paralytic insecticides; many “domestic” species are afraid of the smell of lavender and eucalyptus.

Almost every person has encountered the appearance of moths in their apartment. It may also appear in clean apartment and dirty. Where does it come from? There are many reasons why moths appear in the house. It is important to know what clothes moths are, what they look like and how to get rid of clothes moths.

clothes moth

Characteristics of clothes moth

Clothes or furniture moths are most often found in apartments and private houses. An adult looks like a tiny moth yellow and reaches a length of 9 mm. If a furniture moth flies under a chandelier, it means there are already offspring in the closet. By destroying one moth, there will be little benefit. The life of a butterfly is only 8 to 10 days. And they don't eat. Adult butterflies are busy only with reproduction. Already on the third day of life, they are able to lay up to 60 eggs in the folds of things and then quickly die. This is where a lot of moths come from. Larvae up to one millimeter in size soon emerge from the eggs. They are the ones who eat holes in our dresses, fur coats, etc.

It is clear that clothes moths feel comfortable in a closet. The caterpillars slowly feed on things that contain keratin. They need this protein to survive. They prefer to eat clothes made from natural fabric. But if this is not the case, they will eat synthetics. Therefore, when these insects appear, it is necessary to urgently take measures to remove them.

Moths love to eat dirty, unwashed clothes.

Causes of clothes moths

If everything in the apartment is clean and tidy, where do the flying guests come from? To do this, you need to find out whether the following items were recently purchased:

• carpets with natural wool;
• furniture with natural upholstery;
• fur coats, hats and other clothing made of natural fur;
• clothes made from natural yarn,
• shoes with natural fur.

If there were no such acquisitions, where would they come from? Then pets can become transporters for moths. Moth larvae hide in fur. This is a rare case, but you need to be aware of it.

No matter where it comes from, it is important to quickly remove it and stop its reproduction.

Moth larvae hide in natural wool

Fighting clothes moths with folk remedies

You can fight moths using folk methods. By using folk remedies, you save money and do not harm your health:

Such folk recipes have many good reviews.

When using scents to fight flying insects, choose ones you like, as they will permeate clothes, bedding, etc.

Geranium will repel moths with its scent

Chemicals

If you allow clothes moths to multiply in your apartment, you must use chemicals to destroy and remove her. Folk remedies will be ineffective.

Spray Armol

Spray Cheat House

The drug is used to treat wardrobes. But it is important that the product does not get on your clothes. The smell is not strong, a little like a freshener.

Spray Clean House helps against moths and other insects

Raptor from moths

This is an effective anti-moth drug that can be used on clothing. Often one treatment of closet walls and clothing with the product is enough to remove insects. Then you can use the product for preventive purposes.

Moth sections

This product looks like a solid repellent with a distinct odor that repels insects. They put it in the closet. It is also good to use for prevention.

It is impossible to destroy moths with this drug, but it will scare them away. Adult butterflies leave a place where the scent of the sections is present. Therefore, with regular use of the drug, the result will be.

If you start fighting clothes moths in time, you can avoid the harm that they can cause to things.

Clothes, house or furniture moths are from the order Lepidoptera. It is also called clothing, fur coat, carpet. Insects belong to the large family of true moths, differing in size, habitat and feeding habits.

The area of ​​interest of the clothes moth is clear from the name. Insects actively destroy home textiles: clothes, furniture upholstery, curtains, carpets, as well as products made from natural fur. The main damage is caused by caterpillars; flying individuals are not dangerous.

At home there are different ones: clothes, fur coats, and others (). Butterflies differ slightly in color and size, caterpillars are practically indistinguishable from each other. Adult clothes moths have a rather inexpressive appearance.

What does a moth look like that eats a fur coat? small insect painted beige-silver, narrow wings are abundantly covered with fringe, whitish fibers are noticeable on the head.

The moth practically does not fly around the room; it can be detected by accidentally disturbing it in its habitat.

Adults females prefer to hide in folds of fabric and piles of things in preparation for reproduction. In secluded corners, moths lay eggs, from which caterpillars hatch, causing the main damage to textiles. Fast-growing caterpillars have a developed gnawing mouthpart, which allows them to quickly wear away textile fibers.

IN natural conditions This type of moth feeds on animal hair, plant fibers, and bird feathers. In apartments, the diet of caterpillars is much richer. Their prey is any textiles, fur products, various fabric pads in furniture, and animal bristles.

Moths feed not only on natural but also synthetic products. Often it damages only the inner layer of tissue, leaving the outer layer intact. Defects can only be detected during wear; in damaged areas, the fabric quickly spreads, forming holes.

You can see what a clothes moth looks like in the photo below:

How to protect clothes: preventive measures

Mole attracted by worn clothes with traces of sweat and sebaceous secretions. This is why holes and abrasions often appear on cuffs, collars and other places in close contact with the skin.

Clothes moths are especially partial to natural wool: cloth, drape, woolen knitwear. It also affects fur: fur coats, hats, collars and other products.

The main preventive measure is Frequent washing and cleaning of clothes. IN wardrobe Do not store dirty things. Attracted by the smell of greasy secretions, moths will ruin not only them, but also clean clothes hanging nearby. Items should be washed frequently or taken to dry cleaning periodically.

Thorough cleaning is also necessary for seasonal clothing and accessories sent for long-term storage: fur coats, jackets, hats, felt boots.

Fur mittens, shoe trim, and bags made of fabric or fur need to be cleaned periodically.

Some dry cleaners offer additional service: non-toxic anti-mole impregnation that lasts for several months.

Helps protect clothing Frequent cleaning of the inside of the closet. You need to go through your wardrobe at least once a season. Moth loves secluded corners, where it doesn't fall fresh air and sunlight.

It is important to frequently rearrange clothes folded in piles: sweaters, cardigans, scarves, warm tights. Clothes on hangers should not hang too tightly, between the products you need to leave gaps for ventilation. When going through your wardrobe, it is recommended to shake things, it is better to do this on outdoors.

Wool products are useful hang out in the hot summer sun. Bright rays negatively affect moth eggs and kill already hatched caterpillars. Frost has a similar effect. Hanging fur coats, coats and suits on the balcony in minus temperature Helps prevent clothes moths.

ADVICE! For owners of expensive fur coats, fur coats and stoles upon completion winter season better store products in special refrigerators. This service is offered by large fur salons or dry cleaners.

Stable low temperatures kill moth larvae, fur remains attractive longer appearance, does not fade and does not become covered with dust.

Covers for fur coats against moths: an effective measure of protection

Covers will help protect clothes - an excellent anti-moth remedy for fur coats. They are needed for seasonal clothing made of drape, mixed fabrics and fur, which moths especially love.

Coats, fur coats, jackets, suits and dresses are stored in covers; they are suitable for transportation and protect clothes from dust.

Products can be purchased at hardware stores (for example, trademark Raptor), best options for storing valuable mink and sable coats they are offered in specialized fur salons.

The best cases are made from modern synthetic materials that do not interfere with normal air exchange. They are hermetically fastened with a zipper or Velcro tape.

Products may be impregnated with repellent drugs. Such covers are very effective, but anti-moth impregnations are toxic and not suitable for allergy sufferers.

Soaked products should be protected from children and pets; clothes packed for storage should be placed in the closet so that they do not touch other things. It is advisable to allocate a separate section for it. Impregnated anti-moth covers remain effective for up to 12 months.

An alternative could be a product made from thick cotton or thin plastic. You can make a convenient case yourself.

The style is simple: rectangle with a sewn bottom and a zipper along the entire length. The size depends on the length of the product; the coat or fur coat should fit into the case freely, without tucking.

Hand-sewn covers must be washed every year after the end of the storage season. They can be treated from the inside with aerosol preparations that repel moths. At home, it is better to use odorless preparations. They irrigate not only the covers, but also the walls of the wardrobe.

Watch a video on how to properly prepare a fur coat for storage:

Fighting methods: modern and folk

In the closet with clothes? Moth larvae and adult butterflies about to lay eggs They really don’t like strong aromas of citrus and lavender.

You should place fresh orange or tangerine peels in the cupboard, which will have to be changed frequently.

An alternative would be essential oil of orange, tangerine, lemon or grapefruit. Strips of fabric soaked in oil are placed in cases with clothes and on wardrobe shelves.

It's important to follow so that the oil does not get on your clothes and leave permanent stains on them.

Healthy place sachets of dried lavender in the closet. Dried inflorescences retain a recognizable pungent aroma for a long time. To activate volatile substances, from time to time the sachet needs to be crushed in your hands.

If you don’t have natural fragrances on hand, scented soap will help. Pieces with or without cardboard packaging are laid out in different places wardrobe, periodically replacing with fresh ones. The only disadvantage of this method is the noticeable aroma with which things are saturated.

They effectively repel adult moths, but they are unable to influence the behavior of already hatched larvae. Fragrances and sachets should be used only after thorough disinfection of the wardrobe.

More modern version – fumigators. The plates will be inserted into the device connected to the outlet. When heated, they activate volatile substances that are safe for humans and pets, but kill larvae and adult moths.

How to protect a fur coat from moths?

Fur products are threatened by leather beetles and fur moths. But also ordinary clothes are partial to fur coats, hats and collars.

REFERENCE! The larvae gnaw the pile, leaving noticeable bald spots on fur coats. Most often, the sleeves, front and back, as well as the area at the collar are affected.

Insects are especially partial to short-haired fur: astrakhan fur, astrakhan fur, and mink. Mole may damage the lining, leaving holes in it. Having noticed the slightest signs of pests, you need to urgently take measures to save your favorite fur coat.

A moth has eaten my fur coat, what should I do? The product is removed from the wardrobe and placed on wide hangers. Best hang the fur coat in a cool room: on a glazed loggia or veranda. At first the fur is cleaned with a brush outside and inside. Then you need a fur coat shake thoroughly, removing moth larvae and eggs.

Fur coat sprayed generously with repellent, designed to destroy moth larvae.

For home use products that are unscented or have a neutral lavender scent are suitable. Choose drugs with minimal toxicity.

It is better to carry out work with gloves, protecting the respiratory tract with a gauze bandage. Not only the top of the fur coat is processed, but also the lining and inner part sleeves. Carefully spray the area under the collar or hood, cuffs, decorative elements, folds.

ADVICE! It is convenient to process a very wide fur coat in a horizontal position, laying it out on a table or ironing board.

Do not use repellents that have expired; they are practically useless. You cannot use multiple remedies different manufacturers simultaneously, many drugs do not mix with each other, forming harmful fumes.

After treatment, the fur coat is left for half an hour and then placed in a sealed case with anti-moth impregnation.. It is better to leave the product outdoors for 1-2 days, and then put it in a separate section of the closet. Before placing the fur coat in the wardrobe, you need to treat the walls and shelves with repellents and ventilate thoroughly.

You should not place wool products next to your fur coat., stored without covers. It is better to remove felt boots, yarn supplies and other items that attract moths from the section where fur is stored.

It is very difficult to completely eradicate clothes moths. However, taken on time preventive measures, maintaining hygiene and paying attention to your own wardrobe will help keep your clothes intact. It’s important to remember that preventing pests is easier than making them leave your home forever.

Useful video

How to get rid of moths, personal practical experience:

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There are many insects in nature that cause trouble to humans. For example, midges or mosquitoes. They cause such inconvenience that it is common to fight them in radical ways. However, there are pests that are invisible until a certain time, but cause no less harm - these are moths.

Clothes moths can cause great damage to your wardrobe.

Reference. Moths are caretophagous insects. This means that it feeds on horny substances called keratins. Where are they kept? In wool and fur products, this is precisely what explains the moth’s love for these wardrobe items. In wildlife, moths breed in bird nests. As for human dwellings, moths that reproduce on clothes, unlike their counterparts from other species, prefer dry and even hot rooms.

What environment is needed for moth development?

The clothes moth (photo) is a butterfly 5-10 mm long, the larvae of which feed on keratins extracted from hairs of wool, fur, and carpet pile. The peculiarity of this species of moth is its relatively long life cycle, and throughout her life the female lays eggs, about 200 pieces. The larvae emerging from them at all stages of development, extracting keratin, make holes in things made of natural fibers.

Moths actively develop in dirty woolen clothes or furs

So, the moth goes through several stages of development: eggs - larva (caterpillar) - pupa - butterfly. You and I usually see the nasty gray-brown colors of butterflies and often believe that we need to fight them. In fact, an adult moth is an absolutely harmless creature, and its larva, which prefers to live far from human eyes and daylight, brings a lot of trouble. Clothes moth caterpillars “eat” any textile fabric that contains at least 20% natural wool fibers.

How to get rid of clothes moths?

Reference. In total, 40 families of moths are currently known, to which 150,000 species belong. The most harmful to human homes are clothes moths, furniture moths, food moths, and mushroom moths. Clothes moth larvae actively develop in a temperature range of + 10 ... + 30 C. It is known that at 15 degrees C the cycle of transformation of an egg into an adult is about 200 days, and at a temperature of + 30 this process takes only 70 days.

Clothes moth in the larval stage is the most dangerous period for things

There are a great many recipes for getting rid of this “scourge”. However, if you try to classify them, there are two groups of funds:

• chemical;
• folk.

What does the modern market offer?

To destroy moths in a closet with clothes, you can use the following drugs:

• fumigation;
• contact.

Fumigators - moth killers

It’s probably worth starting the review of fumigation agents with the “killer weapon” itself - naphthalene. For a long time there was no alternative. It is really effective, but it has already been proven that naphthalene is toxic and unsafe for humans. It and similar, but less harmful drugs are intended for closed spaces. Place the product in your wardrobe, print it out, active substance will begin to evaporate gradually. The expected effect is repelling insects, as well as their death. The advantage of anti-moth fumigators is their relatively long service life.

Contact anti-moth agents

Contact group preparations are aerosols that are used to treat carpets, cabinet walls, and furniture. They are toxic to one degree or another. Moth larvae, eating the active substance, definitely die. Although, it is worth pointing out another significant drawback - the short time period of effective impact.

Traps for clothes moths

The advantage of these products is the absence of insecticides. A very popular “design”: a layer of adhesive located on inside traps + female pheromone dispenser that attracts butterflies. For humans, this smell is elusive, but adult males, who are attracted to the female pheromone, stick to the glue and die. Thus, the number of insects is sharply reduced, which means the intensity of reproduction decreases. The efficiency of a sticky trap is determined at 10-12 weeks.

Pheromones can be added directly to the adhesive, using adhesive tape as a trap.

Attention! It is important not to overdo it with pheromone baits, since excessive concentration in the air will cause insects to become addicted and they will stop responding to the trap. In a room of 15 sq. m. One bait is enough.

By the way, by the number of individuals stuck to the glue, one can judge the scale of the infection. In principle it can be used all year round. If insects suddenly appear on them, this is a signal for active action.

Folk prophylactic remedies

From folk ways Naturally, there is no point in giving up the fight against clothes moths. Our ancestors were also familiar with the problem of moths, and they knew how to effective fight with this household pest.

Fragrant herbs

Tansy, rosemary, lavender - our grandmothers collected these herbs, dried them and put them in bags in closets and chests. Today you can do it easier - moisten cotton swabs essential oil appropriate aroma. They will repel insects for a long time.

Bay leaf and nut

The leaves of the bay bush and walnut tree are also traditional moth repellents. They were laid out everywhere in clothing closets and in the kitchen. The winged pest does not like such a neighborhood.

Citrus

Orange peel can cause big trouble for moths

A good housewife never wastes anything and has a use for everything. So, the skins of lemon, orange, tangerine, before putting them in the trash, should be placed in the same cabinets. As long as they intensely emit a characteristic aroma, moth butterflies will have to look for other habitats.

Temperature shock

Moths at any stage of development are afraid of low and high temperatures. So, already spoiled (beaten) things, in order to avoid further spread of insects, need to be taken out into the cold. If it is -20 C outside, then there is no doubt that the eggs, larvae, and queens will die. The same goes for temperature regime+30 C and above. Hang things straight sun rays and the moth problem will be solved radically.

We saw this - urgently things in the cold or in the sun

Purity

• Moths and larvae are 100% destroyed after dry cleaning.
• You should put soap, for example, with a strawberry scent, in your clothing pockets.
• It is worth cleaning the cabinets with a vacuum cleaner periodically.
• Items from the “risk group” must be washed, ironed, and placed in vacuum packaging before storing for long-term storage.

Dear readers! If you have your own secrets for fighting this vile pest, we will be glad to familiarize you with them. Our site is developing dynamically, so each article will be periodically supplemented with useful information.

Out of ignorance, many believe that the faded butterfly that flashes before their eyes, flying out of the closets, is the very enemy that sometimes spoils very expensive things. But here lies the mistake: the butterfly is not tissue. She doesn’t eat anything at all, she simply has nothing to eat, and there’s no reason to. Moreover, flying butterflies are mostly males, while females rarely appear, being mainly engaged in laying the next batch of eggs somewhere in a secluded place.

It is interesting that the clothes moth is a “dirty” butterfly, preferring to lay its eggs in dirty laundry or something that has been in the closet for a long time. If the furniture where clothes are stored is not washed from the inside and not ventilated, you can create truly heavenly conditions for this insect. Also at risk are felt felt boots, stuffed birds and other things that are not cleaned.

The main danger is posed by the larvae, which are always voracious and capable of gnawing linens and furs. On synthetic fabrics they leave bald spots and lesions that are noticeable only on one side after gnawing ( through holes clothes moth larvae usually do not grow on synthetics, leaving them untouched top layer, so sometimes outside Damaged tissue can be indistinguishable from intact tissue. However, the strength of the fabric is irretrievably lost, and soon the fabric unravels).

In contrast, clothes moth larvae eat all products made from natural and synthetic fabrics. They like fur, other natural, and any artificial fabric. However, they cannot live and develop on smooth fabrics due to the lack of lint, from which the larvae will subsequently have to weave a cocoon for subsequent transformation into a butterfly. Therefore, as soon as at least one moth is noticed, this already indicates that there are moths in the house, which means it’s time to look for places where larvae accumulate and try to quickly get rid of these pests.

As with most insect pests, clothes moths can be exorcised or controlled using folk or chemical remedies.

Application of insecticides (chemical methods)

These methods involve contact or fumigation methods for killing moths.

• Aerosols. They are used to treat carpets, furniture outside and inside, and clothes. Covers for storing clothes are also sprayed, after which they are tightly fastened or rolled up, and the larvae caught in the death trap die. Different sprayers have varying degrees toxicity, here it’s up to the buyer’s choice. The principle of operation of aerosols is that voracious larvae eat fibers and fibers that have become poisonous after spraying and die. Suitable for clothes moths Clean house, Armol, Raptor and other aerosols, which must indicate that they destroy moths.

• Traps. Products that are not dangerous to humans, as they act on the basis of pheromones that attract butterflies, and not insecticides. Once inside, a deceived butterfly sticks to the sticky substance inside the trap and will never get out. At least she won't give birth to any more offspring. Traps are useless against larvae; their action is aimed only at reducing the number of moths. The effect lasts 10-12 weeks, the number of traps should not exceed 1 piece. per 15 square meters, otherwise the product will become addictive to the moth and it will stop reacting to it altogether.

• Naphthalene. The product, on the one hand, is still popular, but on the other hand, it is unsafe for humans. Naphthalene vapors are toxic and can harm health, but it also provides a remedy against moths good effect: In a closed cabinet, poisonous air will poison insects.

• Fumigators. Not the best the best remedy, but after a certain time they help expel the moth. It is important to try to install the fumigator in close proximity to the cabinet so that its waves have maximum effect. It is inconvenient because you cannot keep the device constantly plugged in, so its operation can be considered periodic.

• Dry cleaning. Here professionals will get down to business and treat the clothes with cleaning agents. chemicals and high temperatures, after which no moth will definitely survive.

Traditional methods

Any traditional methods The good thing is that they can be used in parallel with chemical ones, which often doubles the effect and speeds up its onset. Moreover, folk remedies practically do not kill moths, but only repel them. And if you combine them with insecticides, you can both destroy the moth and its larvae (before the pest has “eaten” most of the things) and scare off others who want to settle on clothes in the closet.

This “aromatherapy” can also be carried out against other types of moths (both food and clothing moths are afraid of these odors).

Prevention

Best measures to get rid of the problem - this is its prevention. Therefore, nothing better than prevention has yet been invented. To avoid the appearance of clothes moths in your apartment and the damage they cause to things, you just need to properly care for your clothes and where they are stored:

• take things out for ventilation and drying at least once a season;
• store only clean clothes in closets;
• clean the apartment regularly;
• in winter, clean carpets in the snow;
• spring and autumn bedding(blankets, pillows and mattresses) take out into the air for ventilation;
• before storing warm clothes in a closet for long-term storage, they need to be washed, cleaned, sprayed with an aerosol and hermetically sealed in special bags (cases), which can also be sprayed from the inside;
• When taking clothes out of closets, you need to shake them (they don’t stick tightly to the pile and fall out after shaking). For the same reason, you need to beat out carpets outdoors or vacuum them at home more often.