Finding a hole in your favorite piece of clothing is certainly upsetting….. and could be expensive! The most likely culprit for damage to clothes is the clothes moth. Preventing clothes moths causing damage can be achieved by putting in place a number of preventative measures and using sexual pheromone traps to control clothes moths.
WHAT DO CLOTHES MOTHS LOOK LIKE?
There are actually two main species of clothes moth, the webbing clothes moth and the case-making clothes moth. Both get their names from the way the larvae protect themselves whilst they are feeding.
Webbing clothes moth
Larvae: Cream coloured larvae with a dark head. Hides under webbing whilst feeding. Webbing picks up droppings and pieces of fabric. When the larvae move to a new feeding site they leave the webbing behind.
Pupa: Webbing clothes moths spin a silken cocoon on the fabric they are feeding.
Adult moths: Light, gold coloured moth less than 4/10 of an inch long.
Case-making clothes moth:
Larvae: Cream coloured larvae with dark head. The larvae make a case of silk which they take with them wherever they go. They can feed from either end and enlarge it as they grow. As droppings are added to the case, it takes on the colour of the fabric they are feeding on, so can be hard to spot.
Pupae: Case-making clothes moth larvae tend to find a crack or crevice to pupate in.
Adult moths: Darker than the webbing clothes moth with faint dark spots.
SIGNS OF A CLOTHES MOTH INFESTATION
Holes in fabrics, clothes and any other textiles, damage to upholstered furniture and bare patches on the edge of carpets in dark, low traffic areas.
Webbing or larval cases in clothes or fabrics.
Moths that fly up or crawl away from dark, secluded areas, when disturbed.
MAIN PEST SEASON
There is no particular pest season for clothes moths as they live indoors. However, the temperature does impact how much they eat and how quickly they progress through their life cycle. In the southern United States the life-cycle may be complete in as little as 2 months, but in the northern United States it may take up to 6 months.
CLOTHES MOTH FACTS
Generally, clothes moths are more common in the coastal areas where the humidity helps their development. The case-making clothes moth prefers warmer climates whereas the webbing clothes moth can be found all over the United States.
Clothes moths eat a wide range of animal fabrics, but primarily fabrics containing wool. They will also damage fur, silk, feather and leather. Unfortunately, because clothing moths are not endowed with the ability to detect the difference between wool and non-wool textiles they may be found in any textiles at anytime. Therefore inspection of ALL textiles is unavoidable.
Clothes moths are poor flyers, likely to be hiding in dark areas near to where the larvae are feeding.
CLOTHES MOTH PREVENTION TIPS
Hang 1 webbing clothes moth trap in each clothes closet. You don't want to over apply traps. More is not better as it can be counterproductive.
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Regularly vacuum all carpeted rooms, especially around the perimeter and under heavy furniture.
Regularly move heavy furniture in carpeted rooms. Inspect the carpet for signs of damage and insect activity.
At the end of each season, wash and store clothes in a sealed bag / suitcase.
CLOTHES MOTH CONTROL TIPS
Items of clothing/textiles suffering damage should be placed in a sealed black plastic bag in the sun for 1-2 hours. This will kill any larvae / eggs. The items can then be washed. Any delicate items that may be impacted by heat should be inspected individually.
If regular cleaning, inspections and placement of traps does not completely eliminate your clothing moth infestation then it's time to hire call us.
