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Clothes Moth INVASION



hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,771
Chandlers Ford
Okay - the way to tell is that a meal moth has a very definite change in colour about half way down it's wings (see first pic)whilst a clothes moth does not. (see below)

View attachment 44135


I'll look tonight, cheers. They never sit still long enough to get a good look tbh, apart from after I've splatter them. Do these grain chaps eat clothes too then?
 




Normal Rob

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
5,797
Somerset
Yes, but they are not as prolific as Clothes Moths. If the infestation is as bad as you say, and it is clothes moth you would probably only have nylon clothes left by now.

if it is Meal moths, empty and disinfect/bleach all of your food storage cupboards, especially ones in which you keep rice, flour, grain, cereal etc. And throw all of the food away, and disinfect/bleach the containers.

We had a massive meal moth infestation a few years ago, it was a nightmare but by doing the above we did manage to get rid of it without the need to call in pest controllers.
 


Raleigh Chopper

New member
Sep 1, 2011
12,054
Plymouth
We had this conversation last year,if you can find the thread. I am an expert in al things moffs. We had loads last year.They are carpet moffs, not clothes moffs. They live in carpets, lay eggs,eat the carpet then fly around and go in the wardrobe. They are not good flyers, so if you see some flying about you will havr loads under your sofa or anywhere dark that is on the carpets, beds, chest of drawes etc. You may, like us have bare patches in the carpet in these places. We have some this year but i sorted them by putting the tube of the hoover directly on the carpet and sucked up the little white eggs that you will see in the pile. You will also see moffs in the folds of the curtains. Put moffballs in the wardrobe, they love wool and cahmere. You really need to suck em up and do a thorough job. You can get smokebombs to really kill them as they can be in every crevice like a gap between floorboard and skirting board.
 




Raleigh Chopper

New member
Sep 1, 2011
12,054
Plymouth
Just read previous posts, you deffo have carpet moffs as they love wool and cashmere. We have a wool carpdt which is why we were infested. Move your furniture and suck em up.
 




KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
21,105
Wolsingham, County Durham
A product called DOOM used to be good. Not sure if you can still get it but it killed any insect.

Certainly can here - I can send over a supply if required. Stick it in wardrobe, set it off and run away! Wash all your clothes that are in wardrobe afterwards.

doomfogger.jpg
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,771
Chandlers Ford
Yes, but they are not as prolific as Clothes Moths. If the infestation is as bad as you say, and it is clothes moth you would probably only have nylon clothes left by now.

if it is Meal moths, empty and disinfect/bleach all of your food storage cupboards, especially ones in which you keep rice, flour, grain, cereal etc. And throw all of the food away, and disinfect/bleach the containers.

We had a massive meal moth infestation a few years ago, it was a nightmare but by doing the above we did manage to get rid of it without the need to call in pest controllers.

We had this conversation last year,if you can find the thread. I am an expert in al things moffs. We had loads last year.They are carpet moffs, not clothes moffs. They live in carpets, lay eggs,eat the carpet then fly around and go in the wardrobe. They are not good flyers, so if you see some flying about you will havr loads under your sofa or anywhere dark that is on the carpets, beds, chest of drawes etc. You may, like us have bare patches in the carpet in these places. We have some this year but i sorted them by putting the tube of the hoover directly on the carpet and sucked up the little white eggs that you will see in the pile. You will also see moffs in the folds of the curtains. Put moffballs in the wardrobe, they love wool and cahmere. You really need to suck em up and do a thorough job. You can get smokebombs to really kill them as they can be in every crevice like a gap between floorboard and skirting board.


Thanks people. Most helpful, although the suggestion that the might be THOUSANDS of the horrible little things hiding under a sofa somewhere makes me feel a bit ill.

We've no wool carpets though, just cheap carpets that were put in throughout the upstairs before the house was sold to us. It makes some sense though, as downstairs we have no carpets anywhere, and we hardly ever see any moths down there, only up in the bedrooms.

Rob - we never get any in the kitchen - does this rule out the grain version?
 




knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
13,110
Your welcome, here are some ideas ..... http://www.amazon.co.uk/JUST-GREEN-CLOTHES-MOTH-TRAP/dp/B000OP2EEG

Edit sorry first link did not work. just google clothes moth traps.

I bought 6 of these Mottlock traps at around £6 each. Put one in each room. Expensive but they work. German so the Mercedes of moth traps. The males go for the pheromone smell and then cant get near the lady moths as they are stuck. The girly moths hang around the traps gasping for it and you can pick them off every morning. Every 4-6 weeks there is a mass incubation but the traps get most. Down to about 10 in total latest outbreak.

Here are the product details:

The Mottlock moth box is a pheromone sticky clothes moth trap to monitor and control infestations of textile and clothes moths. Textile moths can occur on types of natural fibres, wool, silk, cashmere, clothing, carpets, materials, soft furnishings and upholstery. The larvae form of moth will feed on these natural fabrics. The Mottlock moth box sticky strips work through being impregnated with an attractant pheromone in the surface, which male moths become stuck to, enabling you to monitor the level of problem and break the breeding cycle. This pheromone mimics the scent released by the female moth to attract the male. It is specific to this type of moth and will not attract other species. If you find you are catching moths in this trap, further control methods may be required to eliminate your moth problem. The traps are odourless, natural and safe. The Mottlock moth boxes are for use in wardrobes, bedrooms and living rooms. We recommend using the Mottlock moth box continuously in order to monitor any new infestation. Strips last 3 months and replacement sticky strips are available.
 


wehatepalace

Limbs
NSC Patron
Apr 27, 2004
7,335
Pease Pottage
We had them a few years ago, like someone else said, they ate the carpet as eggs and then hatch, fly around and lay more eggs.
I had pest control come in twice and spray the entire house, which did help but certainly didn't solve the problem, the only way I found to get rid of them totally was to change all the carpets in the house to one made of man made fibres.
That said, I do find the odd one or two flying around, quickly exterminated by a clap of the hands, but I never find the eggs anymore.
 


Normal Rob

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
5,797
Somerset
Thanks people. Most helpful, although the suggestion that the might be THOUSANDS of the horrible little things hiding under a sofa somewhere makes me feel a bit ill.

We've no wool carpets though, just cheap carpets that were put in throughout the upstairs before the house was sold to us. It makes some sense though, as downstairs we have no carpets anywhere, and we hardly ever see any moths down there, only up in the bedrooms.

Rob - we never get any in the kitchen - does this rule out the grain version?


Not sure to be honest. Quite probably, check the wings. However having read this thread it's pretty clear that all moths are *******s, so good luck.
 




Dr NBC

Former Insider
Apr 29, 2013
346
Mid Sussex
Just finished dealing with an infestation of carpet moth larvae ourselves. We had a company from Horsham come out and clean the carpets and impregnate the fibres with an insecticide to prevent any reoccurrence. It worked a treat. Fortunately they were restricted to the main floor and didn't get near the wardrobes and closets upstairs.

I'd recommend http://www.appleclean.co.uk for carpets but sadly I have no idea of what to do about fully grown moths other than what's been suggested.

Good Luck.
 


hola gus

New member
Aug 8, 2010
1,797
Carpet moths and clothes moths are exactly the same thing. Basically it's the larvae that eat the carpet meaning you will often see bare patches beneath heavy furniture such as wardrobes, settees, and beds etc. And it's the adults that fly and feed on the clothes. Like I said Hans Kray, pest control is your best bet!
 


Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,645










Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,518
Worthing
Now is not the time or the place for witty puns, young lady. This is SERIOUS.

Check everywhere Hansy for the larvae. They can look just like dried grains of rice and they will eat anything wool. We had our carpets under the sofas devoured within months. I had to replace them but went for a good quality nylon one in case I hadn't got rid of them all when we pulled the old carpet up.
They never got as far as my clothes thank god.
 




Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,518
Worthing
"Doctor Doctor I keep thinking I'm a moth"

Don't be ridiculous I'm a GP and you need a psychiatrist ... Now why did you really come in here ?

"Well, your light was on"

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.it had to be said
 




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