Moths - Help
I have a clothing moth problem. I have been using mothballs diligently but it hasn’t seemed to completely stop the problem. 1) Wondering if people have recommendations for exterminators or other methods of getting rid of them. 2) Anyone specifically used Orkin? Just wondering how the local branches are.
I have a clothing moth problem. I have been using mothballs diligently but it hasn’t seemed to completely stop the problem.
1) Wondering if people have recommendations for exterminators or other methods of getting rid of them.
2) Anyone specifically used Orkin? Just wondering how the local branches are.
Cornell University has a great program where you can send them insect samples. They will identify them and give you information on the insect and what to do. For $25!
Look on line using the words “extension” and moths that will get you to university extension programs about how to get rid of various insects. Carpet beetles do damage very similar to moths so you might want to read up on them as well (as another commenter said). I had a carpet beetle infestation some time back and it was a major effort to get rid of them — lots of vacuuming, dry cleaning or washing everything non-synthetic, and cleaning out every single closet. Got rid of them in the end but it took a month of serious cleaning and clearing out. For moths you may need to wash or dry clean everything until you get rid of them.
If cleaning and vacuuming doesn’t work, Ed DeFitas of Empire Pest Control is very good.
Cedar doesn’t work and the sticky traps are really for indicating there is a problem, and only for the males. Exposing items and brushing them didn’t work for me either. But they were damaging my rugs too.
Only keeping everything clean as possible helped, and I now keep my wool in plastic zip lock bags.
I used the spray from Empire Pest for the areas near my rugs.
Bay leaves are a natural moth repellent and it actually works – plus you don’t have to put up with the funky smell of cedar or the nasty old-lady scent of moth balls.
You don’t need moth balls or an exterminator for moths. Read on the Internet how to get rid of them. Vacuum and clean in the areas where they hide, clean any dirty wool, take your wool items out every three weeks or so and expose them to the light and brush them. You’ll kill all the larvae and the problem should go away.
Never used an exterminator and think it’s kind of overkill for moths, but maybe I’m wrong. I think that cedar works. And I agree on the cleaning and vaccuming, etc. My mom uses the little cardboard traps that emit a lure to trap the moths on sticky paper, but maybe like someone said it is only for the males. It looks like a little paper box that you unfold and stick on the wall. She said it is working. Check Home Depot or etc.
Oh yeah. I think cedar works somewhat for the moths, but not the beetles. Did you see moths? I certainly did!
I had a massive moth problem a few years ago. Probably because I buy vintage clothing and don’t (or didn’t) always dry clean it. Big mistake. Now I do.
First off, the sticky moth traps only trap the males, which are not the big problem. It starts when a female lays eggs in your clothes (wool or silk). They are not actually interested in the fabric but any food stains, perspiration, etc. When the eggs hatch they feed and make the holes.
So empty out the closets and dust, vacuum, wash out the space. Dry clean wool or silk. You can try putting smaller things like sweaters in the freezer for a few days and that is also supposed to work. The worst is putting away wool for an entire season if it is not clean, you are inviting a female to lay eggs. Yes, I know this is gross.
Once you reload your closet, cedar is a good deterrent. I also put sweaters and such in individual bags, as mentioned above. This will isolate a “bad” blanket or item of clothing. You may find yourself squishing stray moths and larvae for a while. Ick. PS: Also make sure you don’t accumulate dust/dander/cat hair balls behind furniture–moths and other bugs love that stuff as well.
I wish I didn’t know so much about this.
KS is right, carpet beetle larvae are more often to blame than moths (unless you are actually seeing a lot of moths). You don’t usually see the carpet beetle larvae. They are visible but for some reason not that noticeable. You just find the small holes. And they’ll eat cotton as well as animal fibers like wool, leather, and silk, despite what some internet sites say. They are in every house so it’s really a question of keeping their numbers at a minimum rather than trying to eliminate them completely. Exterminators can be used for them, but one of the ones I spoke with recommended just super thorough vacuuming and dusting. I keep all my wool blankets and that kind of thing in breathable zipping bags. Ideally clean anything before you put it away for the season. Oh and cedar isn’t much of a defense either. I had a stack of cotton washcloths in a cedar-lined linen closet and they ate through the center of the whole stack. No insects to be seen, just the small hole.