Signs Of Moth Infestation And Ways To Get Rid Of Them

Moths are not known to attack humans but they can spoil your favourite cashmeres and the food lying in your pantry. It is disconcerting to find them inside your stored food. They can drive large holes in your clothes and also spoil the food you stored for the later weeks. Clothes moths and pantry moths are the most harmful varieties. While the former can eat into the carpets, upholstery, woollens, silk and other fabrics, the latter can contaminate food grains, flour, bread, dry fruits, pet food and what not. Moth Pest Control Adelaide is the best way to go about when there is an infestation it is helpful to already know what the signs and ways to get rid of them are:

How do moths get into the house?

• Moths can get into the house via windows and doors. Cracks that have developed in the weather stripping in your doors and windows may also provide moths with an entry into your home.

• A moth infestation may begin in your home also if mistakenly you get articles into your home that are ridden with moths already. Moths may also come inside by way of heavy carpets brought from outside.

• Beware of them if you are buying second hand furniture. Unsealed containers and dropped food are the perfect combination of surroundings required for female moths to lay their eggs in.

Signs of a moth infestation

Moths start coming out in the spring and warmer periods of the year. Look for the following signs to establish the existence of clothes or pantry moths in your home.

1. Spotting silk tunnels or tube-like formations in the pantry or on fabrics, clothes and food containers.

2. Finding holes in your clothing and moths flying or creeping in your closet or pantry is an obvious sign of moth infestation. Finding torn clothing may also be due to the moth infestation. Opting for Moth Control Adelaide with time is necessary to protect your precious and expensive clothing.

3. Finding eggs laid down by the adult moths in your food is a sign of a moth infestation. Likewise, silk webbing and droppings in food left by caterpillars also points to an infestation which needs to be handled right away.

4. Webbed clumps present on the foods in containers is also a sign of a moth infestation. The caterpillars make a silk webbing which make the contents of the food container to become clumped together.

Ways to get rid of the various types of moths?

1. Vacuum your home regularly

Vacuuming your home on a regular basis is essential to keep a lot of tiny pests away from your home. With regular vacuuming moths and their larvae can be swept away and removed easily. However, you need to ensure that you dispose of all the waste gathered whilst vacuuming. Doing so will effectively discard the larvae and prevent them from hatching. Do not forget to run the vacuum below shelves, carpets, edges of cupboards, and the crevices near walls.

2. Using pheromone traps

Pheromone traps specific to the moth variety that has infested your home can help in containing the infestation. Once the moths get attracted to the trap and come in contact with it they get stuck over there and then die. You have to ensure you check for traps depending on the exact moth species that has set shop in your home or commercial space.

3. Essential oils and herbs

Moths have an aversion to the odours left by herbs and essential oils. Mix a few essential oils together in water. Spray the solution onto the cracks and crevices in the moth-infested areas including insides of pantry and closets. Alternatively, you can create a spice sachet by just adding a few herbs like cloves, bay leaves, thyme, etc. together. Hanging them in places that have a moth infestation can repel them.

4. Food storage

For effective handling of a moth infestation, you first need to eliminate their supply of food. Dry foods, dry fruits, flour, cereals and pasta should be stockpiled in airtight, and secure containers that have tight-fitting lids. You can place any newly bought food packets in the freezer for 2-3 days. That will kill any eggs and larvae that came inside with the packets.

5. Cleaning up immediately

Pests like moths can also thrive on the dropped food that has not been cleaned from the surroundings. Hence, do not forget to clean, wipe and throw away any dropped foods present in food cabinets and around food containers. You also should clean around and behind the electrical appliances you have used for cooking as even food in smaller proportions that get spilled can be enough to help moth and larvae to grow and multiply in no time.

6. Take care of woollens and silks properly after using them

Brush out your silk wear, woollen sweaters, gloves and jackets thoroughly after coming from outside. Just brushing out these cloth fabrics properly can be sufficient to remove the moths along with breaking the eggs that have hitchhiked from outside to the cozy environs of your home. Keep the woollens hanged out in the sunlight as sunlight is potent enough to ward off moths hiding inside. Doing so will not just keep moths off the fabric but also refresh and rejuvenate it keeping it softer for a longer period.

Wash your silk, woollen and other fine fabrics and then pack some lavender or cedar with it before freezing it for 3-4 days. Doing this is enough to preserve your precious wools and silks properly.

Pest Control Auldana services offered by Pestico Pest Control Adelaide are extremely effective and reliable to get rid of moth infestation of any scale from your property. Reach out to us on +61480028357 for an appointment for your property. You can also head over to our website to fill in the online express booking form.