Practically all over the world, the problem of the appearance of moths is widespread. Only residents of tropical regions can live in peace, because it is there that the clothes moth adapts very poorly.
Every person at least once in his life fought with a moth. Furniture moth can eat woolen and fur things, and it also does not disdain downy products. But the clothes moth eats only products made from pure cotton. But it is worth noting that if she started up at your place, she can easily change her usual diet. Most people cannot tell the difference between species by their appearance, but insects are very different from each other.
Clothes moth: photo, development, reproduction
Adult clothes moth reaches a size of 6-7 mm. Their wingspan is approximately 14 millimeters. In an adult moth, the color is yellowish. Darker colors are near the base of the wing.
If you were able to notice the moth that flies around your apartment, then this is exclusively a male. Despite the fact that females also have wings, "girls" do not know how to use them at all. Even if you can kill the moth that flies in front of you, the problem will not be solved.
After all, if there is a male, then the female has already managed to lay larvae, from which new individuals will constantly appear. The larva of the clothes moth hatches from the eggs. Before becoming moths, they live in the form of small caterpillars, the length of which reaches eleven millimeters. They have powerful jaws, with the help of which they destroy tissue. Their digestive system is quite voluminous, so the larvae can gnaw on the dress very quickly.
Mobility and voracity of caterpillars
It is worth noting that if there is enough food in one place, then the caterpillar will not move. Her activity is minimal. Therefore, if you manage to find one larva on your clothes, you should carefully review all the things nearby. Most likely, you will find other individuals that mercilessly devour the wardrobe.
If you do not find their lair in time, then with enough food, the little caterpillars begin to turn into pupae in twenty days. Subsequently, moths grow out of them, which will fly around the apartment. If only synthetics are included in the daily diet, then they will be able to fly in four months.
But also when developing pupae, one should take into account the temperature regimes in the room. If the temperature is below twenty degrees, then metamorphosis may slow down. This will take approximately six months. But in the warmth that is comfortable for them, the caterpillars will turn into a full-fledged moth in two months, which will bother you.
Bookmark and dimensionseggs
The clothes moth can lay more than two hundred eggs. They are yellowish in color. Their size does not exceed 0.5 millimeters, so it is quite difficult to detect them. Often, the moth makes several clutches, in which there are approximately seventy eggs. In most cases, these are dark and damp places. Therefore, it is more likely to find moths under the folds of clothes.
If the air temperature is high enough, a cocoon caterpillar may appear in less than a month. But if the ambient temperature is below zero degrees, all the larvae will simply die.
It is also worth noting that males are ready to mate as soon as their cocoon opens. They use olfactory reflexes to find their mating female by scent. The worst thing in this situation is that after four hours after mating, the female is ready to start laying eggs.
Food moth and clothes moth: how to distinguish by flight
Moth, which spoils clothes, appears in apartments much more often. It has golden wings. If the mole is not touched, it reaches sizes not exceeding five millimeters. But when she takes off, she is quite clearly visible. However, in no case should you confuse clothes moth with those parasites that feed on cereals and other foods.
Food moth is very different from clothes moth. It has a fairly dark color and relatively large size. The site of infection can be found relatively quickly. It is worth considering that the moth flies exclusively in the immediate vicinityfrom its nest and feeding place. You can distinguish insects and the manner of flight. Unlike other varieties of moths, they fly in a very strange way. They are characterized by spiral movements, which are the hallmark of food moths.
Where food moth most often starts and lives
Often these pests live in the kitchen. After all, it is there that people store flour and various cereals, which are an excellent source of food for these parasites. They can be brought into the house without knowing it. If you like walnuts, then after buying it is best to roast them in the oven. This will completely eliminate the possibility of development of this type of moth.
Also, the main source of infection are dried fruits that have been on the counter for a relatively long time. And, of course, cereals, which some grandmothers keep for years. It is very difficult to find moths in them, because it is a loose product in which caterpillars burrow and gradually devour the grains.
Moth control with aerosol insecticides
Such aerosols are completely harmless to humans, so you can use them. It is only advisable to ventilate the room well after treatment. When the poison gets on the skin, the mole and its larvae simply die in a few seconds. Also, venom vapors can be breathed in, so even individuals that hide under a collar or lining will still be destroyed sooner or later.
But we should not forget about the furniture, because there are clothes moths toostarts up very often. It is necessary to spray all the hidden corners in order to be completely sure that the mole will not bother you for a long time. This is a rather time-consuming process, because you need to climb into all corners. It is necessary to move almost all the furniture to get to all possible nests. But on the other hand, this is a fairly effective method of dealing with harmful insects.
Fight against food moth
With food moths, everything is much simpler. You just need to find the source of infection and throw it away. Most often, it starts in cereals, which, as you understand, it is pointless to spray. The easiest way is to tightly wrap them in a bag and take them to the trash can on the street. The same should be done with the rest of the products.
And if a moth appeared in one package, then you may have to completely renew your stocks of spices and cereals. Often we notice the mole quite late, when it has greatly bred. The most noticeable signal of an epidemic is if food moth caterpillars begin to appear on the ceiling of your kitchen. In this case, you need to sound the alarm and carefully check each product.
Fight against clothes moth folk remedies
Now you know how insidious clothes moth can be. How to get rid of it? The main method of dealing with this type of moth is to provide a sharp temperature drop. It is necessary to take out all the clothes that, in your opinion, could be contaminated, outside or on the balcony. If the temperature there is below zero, then all clothes moths, caterpillars and even eggs will die within a day. The same thing will happen during the summer heat if the clothes lie underthe scorching rays of the sun.
It is convenient to use herbs that have a specific pungent odor. It is desirable to wrap a mixture of herbs in gauze bags and put them in the pockets of clothes. Tobacco or lavender are quite suitable for pest control. Wormwood also helps a lot. And in winter, citrus peels repel insects well.
Precautions
In order to completely eliminate the appearance of moths in your apartment or house, precautions and prevention should be taken. It is worth remembering that clothes moth does not like both low and high temperatures. Therefore, at the slightest sign of its appearance, you need to take the clothes outside, shake them out well and hang them under the scorching sun or in the cold.
After winter, almost all people just hang winter things in the closet or put them on the shelves. But they should be securely packed in airtight bags, where the moth, even with a strong desire, cannot get through.
Carpets and furniture are easily cleaned of moth eggs with a simple vacuum cleaner. But do not repeat the mistakes of many people - shake out the dust from the vacuum cleaner in time. Otherwise, they will be able to reproduce perfectly inside the dust bag. And such a nest will be very difficult to find if you do not know where to look. And, of course, do not buy second-hand items, because they are most susceptible to moth infestation.
