According to observations, every year it becomes more difficult to get rid of moths. If earlier getting rid of this harmful insect did not require much time and effort, now it is already a real problem. It sounds strange, but over time, these pests become more intelligent and tenacious.
Have you tried many ways, but you still can't get rid of moths? In this case, it's time to properly understand the situation and choose the best method of pest control. From this article you will learn how to get rid of moths at home, what this insect eats, as well as its main types.
Variety of moths
Before you start fighting moths, you need to find out what type of pest you are dealing with. There are many varieties of moths, but only a few of them start up in apartments. This insect can quickly adapt to conditions. That is why it is very common and can be found almost anywhere in the world.
At home, the following types of moths are most often found:
- rye;
- fur coat;
- grain;
- clothes;
- furniture.
How to get rid of moths that started up at home? First, you should understand that an adult moth, called an imago, is harmless. Such an individual no longer eats anything. The main damage is caused by the insect larvae themselves, which are quite voracious.
Any moth has several stages of development. The appearance of an insect directly depends on the stage at which it is located. Adults include butterflies and moths. They are distinguished by the presence of small wings, as well as a grayish-brown color.
Adults live in places where possible food is present. Their goal is to lay eggs in the most comfortable place and thereby give life to new offspring. In this case, the larvae may appear within a few days after laying.
It takes about two weeks for the larvae to develop. It gradually grows, increasing to 1 cm in size. When the last stage of development comes, the food moth begins to form a cocoon. The pupa stays in the cocoon for three days, after which the successor of the genus, the moth, appears.
The life cycle of a moth is one to two months. Two weeks of this period, the insect spends in the form of a butterfly.
Why do moths appear?
Many believe that moths start up at home because of dirt. In fact, everything is not so: the insect appears where there is suitable food for it. Given the omnivorous nature of the moth, it can be argued that it can find suitable food in a variety of places.
Insect canget into a room with food, fly into a window or an open door. Often moths make their way from neighbors through ventilation. Fur moth can get into the house along with purchased fur products or carpets. She can also be brought in winter shoes with natural fur.
When buying old furniture, there is also a great risk of bringing pests home. Larvae can live in the most closed places, where the most dust and moisture accumulate. Furniture with rotten wood is especially dangerous. Such an environment will be ideal for moth breeding. Therefore, do not be surprised if, after buying an old sofa, you have a lot of moths in your home. How to get rid of it? The answer is simple: first you need to get rid of decrepit furniture.
By the way, pet owners also need to be on their guard. If your pet has long hair, it can be a great place for moth larvae to live. At the same time, for the animal itself, the mole is not harmful. However, it becomes a kind of vehicle for insects, on which they can get into housing.
What do moths eat?
Moth is capable of causing such severe damage that no other insect can cause. Hats, fur coats and other wool products can be damaged by this insect in just a week. Moth larvae calmly gnaw through felt, fur, as well as cotton and synthetic products. This is primarily the danger of home moths. How to get rid of it, we will tell in the next section.
Food moth can eat almost any food that is in the house. But eggslikes to save money on her favorite foods. For example, if the moth is fruit, then the first thing it will pay attention to is the stock of dried fruits. Grain moths can settle in flour or cereals. If there are a lot of larvae, the insect can infect all food supplies.
Various spices, sugar, s alt, soda and coffee do not attract moths. Also, this insect will always shun some medicinal herbs.
Thing moth, unlike food, has a slightly different shade. However, there are no major visual differences between the two species. Such a moth prefers to feast on fur products, carpets and woolen threads. In some cases, the insect may begin to eat leather products as well.
How to get rid of moths
If food is affected by moths, you need to act depending on the degree of damage. So, with severe lesions, products should be discarded. If there were few insects in the product, it can be sorted out and then dried in the oven. The drying temperature is 60 degrees.
The cabinet in which the moth lived should be washed in two stages: first with a soapy solution, then with plain clean water. To process the grooves and cracks in the cabinet, you can use a 3% vinegar solution.
UV radiation can also be a good tool in pest control. For example, you can use a quartz lamp. When exposed to ultraviolet light, proteinthe body of the moth begins to coagulate, which leads to its death.
To handle the affected things, it is best to use the familiar Dichlorvos. Also, the item can be steamed or boiled.
Folk remedies
Medicinal herbs and essential oils can help keep pests out of your home. So, the moth does not tolerate strong odors. Therefore, fir or lavender oil can be a good repellent. Also, the insect does not like the smell of cedar wood, table vinegar, garlic, orange peel, kerosene and pepper.
Another effective remedy is Caucasian chamomile powder. Five grams of the powder will be enough to process one square meter of the room. By the way, if you are looking for a way to get rid of moths with folk remedies and at minimal cost, then using Caucasian chamomile will be the best solution.
No matter how good and affordable folk remedies are, you need to remember that they only repel pests. Unfortunately, they do not destroy the larvae and eggs of the house moth. How to get rid of it completely? To do this, you will have to use special anti-moth preparations.
Antimoles
Currently, there is a huge amount of moth remedies. They not only allow you to get rid of pests, but also are able to prevent their appearance in the house. Such drugs are in the form:
- plates;
- sprays;
- briquettes;
- sections;
- aerosols;
- pills.
The mosta common and cheap remedy is a mixture of camphor and naphthalene. For effective destruction of moths, it must be placed on the topmost shelves of cabinets. Thus, its pairs will go down, which will prevent the females from laying eggs. This method is more efficient.
Also, the following means can be used in the fight against moths:
- "Kapkan";
- "Antimol";
- "Mosquitol";
- "Armol" and others.
The most modern moth preparations do not have a specific smell at all. As a rule, they allow you to get rid of not only this insect, but also carpet beetles and leather beetles.
Before using any tool, it is important to first read the instructions that come with it. It contains information about when it will be possible to ventilate the treated area and what needs to be done to make the use of the product more effective.
Moth sections are a more comfortable solution. These products have a pleasant aroma and provide delicate protection for children's clothing. Before you start using this drug, you first need to remove the protective tape from it, and then place it on the top of the cabinet.
Fumigators
Fumigator is a good weapon not only against moths, but also against other harmful insects. Compared to aerosols, it works much slower, but it has some advantages. So, when using a fumigator, there is no need for large labor costs. Probability of occurrenceallergies are also minimized.
The most popular fumigators are:
- "DiK-3";
- Mosquitall;
- "Reid".
How to get rid of moths forever with a fumigator? To destroy the insect with this tool, use repellent tablets or insecticide in liquid form. The funds are placed in the fumigator, which, in turn, is connected to the electrical network. Thus, the repellent heats up and gradually spreads throughout the room. You can completely get rid of pests using this method in a few days.
Moth in the closet
Wool moth is one of the most common species. It poses the greatest danger to humans, as it reproduces and lives throughout the year. This insect is able to survive even at low temperatures.
The wool moth uses as food sources:
- felt;
- fur;
- wool;
- feathers;
- polyethylene;
- book bindings.
How to get rid of moths in the closet? To permanently destroy pests, you must follow simple recommendations:
- Take all your clothes out of the closet and give them a good shake. Insect larvae are very easy to shake off clothes.
- After that, let the clothes lie down in a bright place during the day. In the fresh air and in bright sunlight, the larvae will feel uncomfortable.
- Before putting away againclothes in the closet, they must first be treated with a special anti-moth preparation.
- It is also recommended to put dry lavender wrapped in gauze in the closet. In addition, you can soak cotton swabs with the oil of this plant and also put them next to the furniture.
Kitchen moth
What to do if moths start up in the kitchen? How to get rid of a pest? This insect can start up in any kitchen, even if perfect cleanliness reigns in it. As mentioned earlier, it can get into the house along with purchased products.
How to get rid of moths that appeared in the kitchen? Follow the guidelines:
- First of all, you should wash all the dishes and cutlery. To clean the utensils, it is recommended to use a soapy solution. You should also rinse all the shelves inside the kitchen unit with a vinegar solution.
- All cabinets in the kitchen should be disinfected. To do this, you can use a special solution that is easy to make yourself by dissolving two teaspoons of tea tree oil and one spoon of alcohol in two cups of water.
How to prevent moths in the house
So that the pest does not start up in the apartment, it is enough to follow a few simple rules:
- All products that were purchased in the store should be checked for larvae immediately.
- Products must be kept in closed and dry containers located in a dry place.
- About two times a month, carry out general cleaning of the premises.
- All furthings need to be periodically aired in the fresh air.
If you take care of everything in advance and be careful, then the question of how to get rid of moths in the house will not arise. Keep it clean and check everything that enters your accommodation.
Conclusion
Now you know how to get rid of moths. In the fight against this insect, you can use a variety of methods. It is very important to destroy the pest larvae as quickly as possible, because if left untreated, their intensive reproduction can result in serious problems: damage to things, food and furniture.
