9 tips on how to get rid of moths in an apartment

Why do moths appear?

Sometimes it is impossible to even imagine the extent of damage that pest butterflies can cause. It is quite obvious that no one is interested in insects appearing in the apartment, and, of course, no one wants to bring moths into the house themselves. However, there are not one or two reasons for the appearance of pests, but several. Here are some of them:

Products purchased in a store can easily become carriers of moth larvae if the manufacturer ignores proper storage conditions, or the sealed packaging of the latter has been broken.
products purchased at the market can be contaminated : dried fruits, mushrooms, dry herbs and even spices.
New things (knitted and woolen items, fur coats, fur shoes), furniture, various carpets are possible carriers of moth larvae if they were infected with them in the store.
Items or furniture purchased at second-hand stores or from friends are accessible and tasty prey for insect pests.
Animals (especially those with long hair ) will easily bring moths into the apartment. Moreover, the first ones will be just a means of transportation and nothing more.
Ventilation shafts will become excellent communication routes between neighboring apartments, so insects will be happy to explore new territories.
Even books from the library can cause moths to appear in the house.

Causes of appearance and damage caused

Usually people don’t even understand how moths start in an apartment, because all precautions are taken. But it is difficult to completely protect your home from an uninvited guest. There are three ways to introduce the parasite into a living space.

With shopping. You can introduce the pest yourself when purchasing outerwear made of fur, woolen products, or when purchasing used furniture. Moreover, you will not see the individual itself - moths usually start from larvae in an apartment.
With pets. Walking cats and dogs can carry moth eggs on their fur. The case is rare, but possible.
Through ventilation. Butterflies are well versed in the ventilation system. If the clothes moth is infested with your neighbors, then it can get to you through the bars.

The caterpillar stage of the parasite is the destructive stage of the moth's life. The larvae gnaw large holes in warm sweaters and outerwear. Damage can most often be noticed in hidden places: under cuffs or collar. The caterpillar will eat any thing made from natural fibers, and will not refuse synthetic products if they contain at least some percentage of wool.

There is a book moth that doesn’t mind feasting on bindings and pages. When searching for an infestation, be sure to look through magazines and newspapers.

Types of moths

So what is a moth? Let's try to get to know her better. There are about 3 thousand species of lepidopteran butterflies, to which the moth belongs, in the world. There are more than 40 families of moths, about 30 families of pests, but not all of them are related to our apartments (approximately 14).

The most dangerous for a person’s comfortable living include:

Cereal (food)

The insect of the moth family has a gray or brown color with splashes or stripes. The wingspan of the moth is 9-10 mm. Well, caterpillars, of course, prefer the kitchen and food supplies: cereals, nuts, confectionery, dried fruits, legumes, pasta, tea, etc.

Products in which moths have visited should never be eaten, as they can cause intoxication and allergies in humans. The products of vital activity and degeneration of larvae and caterpillars remain in them: skins, feces, husks, dead individuals, etc.

Fruity

Its favorite treat is dried fruits, and you can quickly identify it by its characteristic color - white and yellow with brown dots.

Furniture

The favorite food products of caterpillars of this species are furniture fabric, fur and woolen products. The color of the butterfly's wings varies from yellowish to gray-yellow, and their span is 10-15 mm. The female makes a place for herself in upholstered furniture (inside), in the folds of fur clothing, where she can lay up to 300 eggs. Caterpillars move along corridors that they themselves construct.

Clothes

The butterfly is of considerable size - the wingspan reaches 20-22 mm, and they themselves have a characteristic yellowish color and a purple tint. The moth's favorite place is dark closets, where it can find an abundance of cotton, cloth or drape clothes. Better yet, find things with dirty spots. They will become a real feast for the caterpillar, at which the pest will replenish its supply of nutrients and crawl further to gnaw holes.

Fur coat

The name of the insect speaks for itself. Her food priorities are fur products. Often, in order to get to them, she is ready to chew through cellophane covers. If there is a problem with the “supply” of fur products, then the caterpillars will not disdain felt, wool, velvet, feathers or books. The butterfly has gray-yellow wings with a wingspan of 10-16 mm. Only the front ones are dark in color with black dots, and the lower ones are light. A special feature of the larva is the presence of a portable case.

Carpet

Insects of this species are content not only with carpets, but also do not refuse things made of fur and leather. Butterflies have patterned, gray-brown wings.

Book

The golden brown moth will not refuse any type of printed material.

The list of flying pests goes on and, as a rule, the names of insects correspond to the type of food consumed. But, to generalize, all house moths can be divided into two groups: food moths and clothing moths .

Grain moth (Plodia interpunctella Hb.)

The grain moth develops in tree fungi and the bark of rotten trees. The size of the insect reaches 10 mm. This is a forest dweller that can penetrate grain storage facilities and lay one or two eggs directly on the grains. In well-heated rooms, the insect is able to reproduce several times a year. The caterpillars hatch after 14 days, they begin to weave silk covers and cause damage to the contents of the storage (not only grains, but also seeds of agricultural and ornamental crops, fodder, vegetables, dried fruits, mushrooms). Caterpillars live on the surface, without penetrating into the deeper layers. Before wintering, the moth moves into the cracks and cracks of the ceilings, walls, and floors of the storage facility. The next pupation occurs in the spring months.

How to find moth larvae?

Butterflies are always visible, but it is very difficult to determine the location of the caterpillars, and this is what it is advisable to do first. How to determine the presence of moth larvae? For clothes moths this is:

Holes in things and clothes.
Eaten fur (hairs) on a fur coat.
Larvae skins.
Cocoons having an oblong shape.
Live butterflies, caterpillars and their pupae.
The passages that insects have gnawed into furniture or carpets.

A special feature of the wool moth is the woolen houses that the larvae form around themselves from fur hairs and their saliva.

The presence of food moths can be determined by:

Cobwebs in packaging bags.
Small gray butterflies flying among the products.
Lumps of sticky flour or grains.
Dried skins of larvae.
Candy or chocolate with eaten moves.
Rotten in dried fruits or dried mushrooms.
Clearly visible insects and their larvae.

It is interesting that during the 2-3 weeks of its life, an adult butterfly does not eat anything in this form, but only uses the reserves that it accumulated as a caterpillar. The fact is that an adult insect has neither digestive organs nor mouthparts.

Methods for getting rid of moths in an apartment

Moths must be fought and the fight must begin as early as possible. There are many different ways to not only repel pests, but get rid of them once and for all. If you do not take into account folk remedies, then all others can be divided into:

Contact. This group includes aerosols and sprays that are applied directly to clothing, carpets, upholstered furniture or the outer walls of cabinets. A clear advantage of the drugs is direct treatment on an open surface, which means maximum efficiency and instant death of parasites. The disadvantages include a short period of maximum effect and, of course, the toxicity of the active substances.
Fumigation. These drugs have a fairly long period of action and have proven themselves when working in closed or confined spaces, for example, in wardrobes or linen chests of drawers. The active substance evaporates gradually and kills or repels insects.

Let's look at these methods in more detail.

Chemical repellents for moths

It is immediately worth paying attention once again to the fact that even the very general name of anti-moth means involves the use of insecticides. Drugs in this series are dangerous to humans to one degree or another. Therefore, when choosing a product, be sure to take into account:

Processing area.
The degree of toxicity of the drug.
Presence of children and allergy sufferers in the apartment.

Having accurately understood all the factors, choose the appropriate method and appropriate means for destroying or repelling pests.

Aerosols and sprays

Aerosols are offered in the form of cans, with the help of which the active ingredients are sprayed. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, when working with drugs you must:

Use personal protective equipment.
Provide fresh air access to the room.
Spray the insecticide throughout the room, focusing on the affected areas.
Cover furniture and rooms for better effect.
Maintain the time specified in the instructions.
Ventilate the apartment, clean, put things in their places.

After spraying, the active substance acts very quickly, leading to the death of the insect. The most popular among users:

"Raptor". Maintains a characteristic residual effect throughout the year, destroying adult butterflies, eggs and larvae.
"Mosquitall Protection against moths." A powerful product that is actively used for treating furniture and clothing.
"Clean house". You can safely use the product on clothes; even a small amount is enough for a good effect.
"Extramit". Can be effective for 6 months after spraying.
"Armol". Often used in the kitchen, it destroys insects at all stages of development.
And also “Dezmol”, “Foxide”, “Antimol”, etc.

Fumigators

The action of the active substances in these devices takes longer than with aerosols. A fumigator is a small device powered by electricity, the principle of operation of which is very simple and familiar to everyone:

A bottle with a special liquid or a plate is placed in the device.
The device is plugged into a socket and heats up.
The insecticide evaporates, which will permanently remove moths from the room.

You may have to wait 2-3 weeks for complete victory over pests, and this is a small minus, but the clear advantage of the devices is its harmlessness to humans . Funds such as:

"Raptor". It is one of the leaders in operating efficiency and can be refilled with both liquid and plates. In the first case, there is no aroma, but in the second, you can smell a slight scent of flowers.
"Dick". Inexpensive, but quite productive device with a long service life. It fights well against both clothes moths and kitchen moths. It can be in two versions: for plates and for cylinders with liquid poison.
"Mosquitall". The fumigator is designed for filling with liquid insecticides. One device can easily cope with flying pests over an area of 25-30 square meters.
"Raid". It operates similarly to previous devices and is designed to install plates.

Today, new devices for controlling insect pests are increasingly appearing on store shelves. These include aquafumigators . In the Raptor device, the active substance is distributed using steam, which allows it to penetrate into the most inaccessible places. The insecticide has a powerful nerve-paralytic effect on the moth and its larvae, and subsequently leads to their death. It is necessary to work with the device, observing all precautions and personal safety; before starting work, you must read the instructions.

Sections

Despite the fact that the action of the sections is designed to repel adult moths and destroy larvae, they are not entirely chemical agents. The devices are special containers containing a moth-repellent substance inside. Unlike the products mentioned above, the active substance is based on a mixture of essential oils. Therefore, very often caterpillars adapt to the smell, and after turning into a butterfly, the latter really loves, for example, the scent of mint. The devices will give maximum effect if used after active use of fumigators or aerosols.

Common types:

"Moskitol". Can be made in the form of a hanging plate or a bag of perfume (dry).
"Raptor". The sections have a wide range of aromas, the effect of 1 device covers 1 square meter. premises and can last up to 4 months.

Tablets and briquettes

Tablets are an affordable and effective means of combating moths. The tablet or briquette is based on a mixture of essential oils. If earlier it was a composition of camphor and naphthalene, the heavy vapors of which fell down (from the upper shelves of cabinets) and did not give female moths the opportunity to lay eggs, today these are reliable and safe means for people.

Today, many people refuse to use naphthalene, since the substance is toxic and leads to serious illnesses and poisoning of people.

The tablets should be placed on shelves, cabinet sections, drawers and they will effectively protect clothes and furniture from pests. At this point it is worth noting:

"Desmol." An excellent remedy against clothes moths. It is recommended to keep at a distance from animals, children and away from food.
"Antimol effect." The tablet protects fur and woolen clothing from insects, adding a pleasant lavender aroma.

Crayons

Chalks are among a number of fairly effective anti-moth products with the most affordable cost. Using them on an area of 30 square meters, you can not think about moths for 1-2 months. For your own safety, draw lines while holding the chalk by the polyethylene. If there are few insects, then in places where they accumulate it is enough to draw stripes 3 cm wide. The chalk contains insecticides, so you must handle it very carefully and remove all food. Many housewives are well aware of crayons:

"Home".
"Mashenka."

The products protect the premises well not only from moths, but also from other insects; the products last for 6 months.

Furniture moth and clothes moth: what is the difference?

Clothes moths and furniture moths will have their own separate diets - the first feeds on cotton products, the second on fur and wool. In nature, this is what happens, but in an apartment, each of these species can quite easily move from one food to another. Therefore, today these butterflies are collectively called clothes moths.

In fact, these insects have many similar characteristics:

the body is small in size and length is no more than 9 mm;
the color is straw-yellow, rather inconspicuous, especially with folded wings;
Only males can fly, but representatives of both the first and second species do it rather ineptly;
females of both species do not use wings, although they have the ability to fly; their wings are somewhat smaller in size compared to the wings of males.

Distinctive features can only be noticed upon closer examination - the furniture moth will have a darker color and dark areas at the base of the wings.

Moth larvae as the main pest

However, the greatest damage is caused not by winged insects, but by their larvae. It is the small caterpillars that parasitize in your sweaters, expensive fur coats and carpets; they are the ones who leave behind holes in clothes and furniture upholstery; they are the real household pests.

The growth and development of house moth larvae directly depends on diet and temperature conditions:

if the food they absorb consists only of natural materials, then the development of the caterpillars will occur quite quickly - in 3 weeks they will have time to molt about 12 times and pupate;
if the food is rich in synthetic fibers, which are very poorly digested, accordingly, the growth of the larvae will slow down somewhat - this period will take 2 months or even six months;
As for temperature conditions, when the ambient temperature drops significantly, the rate of growth and development of young animals noticeably decreases, the caterpillars become smaller, and at especially low temperatures they weave cocoons around their body, stop feeding and freeze.

But if your apartment is cozy, warm and there is something to profit from, in particular, products made from natural materials, then moth caterpillars will feel great there. With their mandibles, which is the name of their oral apparatus, presented in the form of two large outgrowths, they deftly trim fabric fibers and wool. Thanks to powerful jaw muscles, the larvae quickly gnaw fairly large areas of matter and direct food into the stomach, from where it enters the intestines.

On a note! Compared to the body, the stomach and intestines of the larvae are enormous in size and can hold quite a large amount of food!

The larvae of clothes moths and furniture moths are somewhat different from each other.

Absolutely all larvae lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not crawl far from the place where they emerge from the egg. Until they turn into a butterfly, they spend almost all their time in one place. But as soon as the larva becomes an adult, it stops feeding and spends the rest of its life, which lasts only a few days, only on reproduction.

Mechanical methods

The most effective mechanical means of killing moths, other than swatting with your hands, include:

Adhesive tapes

The operating basis of the device is a special glue containing pheromones. Usually 2-3 pieces are used indoors. per 10 sq. m. The tape is carefully removed from the sleeve and hung in the place of greatest concentration of moths. An example is the “Ferokar” tape, which is especially effective at night. The advantages of the described means include:

High belt efficiency.
Stopping insect reproduction.
Long validity period (4-6 weeks).
An environmentally friendly and safe way.

They are good for removing pests and traps of various types.

Traps

It is immediately worth noting that such devices:

Easy to use.
Safe for humans.
They have an affordable price.
Great for prevention.

A trap with pheromones is visually very reminiscent of a children's pyramid, which has holes on both sides. At the bottom of a simple structure there is a bait that attracts the male half of the moth. The insect flies in, sticks and dies. Slowly, little by little, but there are fewer pests. Sticky devices that can be attached to the inside walls of kitchen cabinets work in a similar way. Traps are effective for a month, and the most popular include:

"Raptor".
"Argus".
"Delta-250".
"Aeroxon"
"Natural Control"
"Global".

You can use a Swissinno type house trap. It is completely safe for humans, attached to a well-degreased surface, inside has a bait with an aroma attractive to insects, and is open on 4 sides. Moths easily get inside and stick to the walls of the structure.

Glue-based traps act as an amplifier of the effect of other means in the fight against insect pests.

Physical methods

Considering insects’ intolerance to low temperatures, low humidity and bright sunshine, even before the advent of the first chemicals, methods such as “freezing” and “heating” were used to kill moths and their larvae:

Freezing

In this case, carpets and warm clothes should be taken outside (or to the balcony), thoroughly shaken out or knocked out (by the way, moth eggs are very weakly attached to things and are shaken out well) and left in the cold for a while. At air temperatures below -15°C, not only adults, but even larvae and eggs die within 2-3 hours. Sometimes housewives, in order to get rid of moths in cereals, place the latter in the freezer for several hours.

Heat

In this case, cleaning cereals, pasta and even dried fruits and nuts can be done by raising the temperature to 40-50°C for 5 minutes. It is enough to keep the food in the oven to get rid of adult moths and pupae. As for things, they need to be taken out into the sun and ventilated as often as possible. The same procedure must be done with blankets and pillows.

If the possibilities are limited, then a quartz lamp will come to the rescue, and in the case of upholstered furniture, a steam cleaner

Furniture moth (Tineola bisselliella humm)

The furniture moth was first studied and described in detail by entomologist A. Hummel in 1823; a distinctive feature of this species is the absence of labial tentacles. The adult individual has a light yellow color, the base of the fore wings has a brown tint, and the head is dark in color. The caterpillar of the furniture moth feeds on furniture upholstery; during the pupation stage, it eats through paths in the upholstery fabric and renders the tire unusable. The caterpillar's incubation period accelerates during the summer months and slows down during the cold season. Primary pupation occurs in February and continues in the spring, secondary pupation begins in mid-summer.

Folk remedies

We have collected the most well-known and, judging by reviews, effective folk methods of getting rid of a wide variety of types of moths:

Strawberry soap and lemon or orange peels

These are quite effective repellents that protect both things and products from moths. Citrus peels should be placed in areas where insects are most commonly found. In places with an orange scent, the insect will not even be able to lay eggs. And when the crusts begin to dry out and lose their flavor, they are replaced with fresh ones.

Black and allspice, tobacco, cloves, rosemary

Spicy smells are not at all to the moth’s liking. If you place bags of spices throughout the apartment, and especially in the most problematic places, you can forget about insects very soon and for a long time.

Laundry soap

Perhaps not everyone today knows about the beneficial qualities of dark bars of laundry soap. The bar, which contains natural ingredients, is suitable for combating clothes, potato and cereal moths. Small pieces of soap are placed in cereal cabinets, wardrobes, and potato storage boxes.

Vinegar and garlic

Moths, like many other insect pests, do not tolerate the smell of vinegar well. Therefore, housewives actively use it when carrying out wet cleaning of premises, wiping cabinets, shelves and drawers with a solution of water and vinegar. To enhance the effect of specific aromas, after harvesting, garlic cloves are placed in the treated areas.

Vinegar

With this one product you can try to get rid of moth larvae. To do this, 2 tablespoons of vinegar are heated in a container convenient for this process for several minutes, then the resulting hot concentrate is poured into a jar and placed in a cupboard for 10-15 minutes. The product helps destroy insect larvae.

Fir oil

It is believed that fir essential oil has a deadly effect on moth larvae. To achieve the goal, you need to drop a little oil or apply it with a swab to the areas where insects are detected and wait for the result.

Caucasian chamomile (pyrethrum)

Used as a powder against flying insects. It is enough to decompose 3-4 g of the substance per 1 square meter. m area.

To eliminate moths throughout the apartment and to prevent them from moving from one habitable place to another, dry herbs and spices are used not only where insects clearly live, but throughout the house

Chestnuts

Dried fruits are laid out among clothes or food. Quite often this remedy works great.

Indoor plants – coleus (nettle) and geranium (pelargonium)

They are distinguished by specific aromas that moths cannot tolerate. Fresh plant leaves will repel pests and prevent them from entering cabinets and wardrobes.

Lavender sprigs or lavender oil

Very effective means to get rid of indoor moths as quickly as possible. The branches just need to be laid out in the right places; a few drops of oil can be dropped on the surface or placed on shelves in small containers.

Sagebrush

Wormwood branches not only repel winged pests, but also prevent them from reproducing. The fact is that the smell of the plant disorients the moth in space and it cannot lay eggs.

Newspapers

Interestingly, insects that adore fur and shoes are not at all happy with the smell of printing ink. It won’t be difficult to put a few sheets of newspaper in your fur boots or stock a shelf with things with a couple of fresh printed publications, but moths definitely won’t get into it.

Prevention methods

If you follow some rules, you can completely prevent the appearance of pests in your apartment. Moreover, they are completely uncomplicated, but lead to order and cleanliness.

Necessary:

Carry out thorough wet cleaning of the apartment regularly.
Carefully inspect items when purchasing. Especially if it is clothes with fur, fur coats, felt products.
Be careful when purchasing furniture, carpets and food products.
Store cereals, flour and other grocery products in an airtight container or refrigerator.
It is advisable not to accumulate large stocks of products and carefully monitor their expiration dates.
Pre-wash items before storing them in the closet for the winter.
Warm items made of wool and fur should be shaken out well.
Fur coats are best stored in paper covers, and wool and fur clothes must be securely packed in plastic bags, having previously put moth repellents in them (preventing their appearance); fabric bags that have been washed using laundry soap are suitable for storing hats.
If possible, purchase hangers made from cedar, which is a strong repellent.
For prevention, place bags of lavender, citrus peels or spice bags in cabinets and on shelves.
Ventilate the room as often as possible and try to keep things on the balcony in frosty and sunny weather.
Periodically check things that have not been removed from the closet for a long time, and, likewise, look through food supplies (especially if they are stored in dark places).
Do not create a storage area for old things at home (cabinets, chests of drawers, bedside tables), which can become a “resort” for moths.

What to do if there are already moths

At some point, you may suddenly discover that, despite all your proactive actions, a moth has still infested your favorite hat. We offer some tips for identifying insect infestations, and then some tips on how to still save your personal belongings.

What to look for

As you know, the first sign of the appearance of moths is the presence of a moth flying around the apartment. Moths are also often discovered when examining personal items that have been stored for some time. In the space of wool or fur, moths organize some kind of nests, inside of which you can find damaged tissue or wool, particles of spoiled material, pupae and worm-like insect larvae.

Garment processing

The first step is to remove and treat all contaminated tissue, so damaged items will have to be thrown away if they are beyond repair. The remaining items should be washed, dried and, if possible, vacuumed. Freezing also eradicates pests—put items in sealed plastic bags, squeeze out the air, and freeze for several days. After this time, the packages must be removed from the freezer, kept to room temperature and re-frozen for the same period. To avoid moisture condensation, each time you need to try to squeeze out the air from the bag as much as possible.

Carpet cleaning

These things are most easily treated with a vacuum cleaner. In case of a more serious infestation, it is advisable to call a specialist. Such cases often occur when owners return home after a long business trip of many months.

When using insecticides yourself, it is a good idea to do a spot test to ensure that the chemical is not affecting the color of the carpet. Such treatments must be used in strict compliance with the instructions on the label. During bullying, one should not forget that double-sided treatment of the carpet and the floor underneath is required.

During the treatment process, adult moths will fly up and must be destroyed immediately. If the concentrations are too high, regular dichlorvos can be used.