Math moth larvae can cause a lot of trouble. Horny components are the main food source of these pests. These include, among other things, woolen, knitted things and natural fur. The appearance of moths usually puts housewives in a state of panic. However, it is enough to know just a few simple secrets, and you can easily save your belongings from destruction. To get rid of the pest, it is necessary to use both special synthetic means and folk methods. After you remove the moth from the house, you should not forget about preventive measures. They are extremely important.
Appearance
If you notice a mole in your house, this is a very disturbing sign. Pests can easily develop under the conditions of maintaining a constant microclimate and the availability of food. One clutch contains from 100 eggs, so you can easily imagine the scale of the disaster. It is for this reason that housewives are usually interested in the following questions: what does a house moth larva look like? How from herget rid of? Let's try to figure it out.
Recognizing moth larvae is quite simple. They look more like off-white caterpillars. Sometimes their body can have a yellowish tinge. Insects have small legs. The head of the larva is darker in comparison with the whole body. If you look at it through a microscope, you can find powerful jaws. Insects grow quite quickly. Their length can be from 3 to 7 mm. They highly undesirably move to new areas in search of food. Their favorite habitats are natural fur, woolen carpets, knitwear and natural fabrics. Moth does not like synthetics. Since the larvae require a lot of food for development and growth, they gnaw through entire holes. Usually the youngest individuals move. In a small area, there can be a huge number of eggs and also 5-6 larvae.
Damage
House moth larvae can make your favorite clothes unwearable. It will be impossible to restore it. A characteristic feature of this pest is the presence of a special cover. Its larva creates from the remains of spoiled material and its own secretions. With this protective cocoon, the larva can move along woolen threads and pile.
Easy pest control
So, what is worth knowing about him? Sometimes a moth larva can also be found in furniture. How to get rid of this pest in the sofa? Furniture moth can arrange a real nest from the remnants of upholstery and products of its vital activity. For this reason, one of the common methodscontrol and prevention is ultraviolet treatment. After all, growing larvae prefer secluded dark places and very rarely come out into the light. To get rid of them, it is enough to place things, fur coats, hats, carpets or furniture in the sun. To prevent the appearance of moths, experienced housewives recommend putting furnishings on a sunny, hot day outside. At temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, moth cocoons die, and eggs stop developing. The larva fully develops in 90 days. If the ambient temperature is reduced to 13 degrees, the period of its growth will increase to 190 days.
Food moth
One of the most unpleasant pest species is the food moth. Due to the presence of nutrients, it grows quite quickly. For all the time of development there are four molts. If the hostess rarely disturbs pests, they may feel at ease. Almost everything attracts them - from dust to stale furs. What to do if you find moth larvae at home? How to get rid of a pest? Further in the text, a small overview of effective folk methods and special means to combat various species will be presented.
Variety of moths
Several types of moths can live in a person's home. Each of them is adapted to life in certain conditions. Many are interested in what is a larva of a moth? What a pest looks like, not everyone knows. Here, everything largely depends on the type of pest. You can find masonry in a closet withclothes, inside a hat, in upholstery, in bags of cereals or flour.
The main types of moths today include:
- fur coat;
- woolen;
- grain;
- furniture;
- rye;
- cabbage.
The last variety is considered the largest. Domestic moth is smaller. The color of the wings also depends on the species. In fur and woolly moths, the wings are light and have a yellowish tint. Grain is darker. Her wings are brown-gray.
How to get rid of?
Let's take a closer look at this. Even one small moth larva can cause great damage. How to deal with it? Getting rid of a clothes look is much harder than getting rid of food moths. This is due to the fact that she is small and very active.
The first thing a hostess should do when she finds moth clutches is to reconsider her principles of housekeeping. How did the pest get into your apartment? One of the most common ways is from the entrance or through open windows. However, not in all cases, the mole immediately begins to actively multiply. If the apartment does not have favorable conditions for the measured life of domestic pests, then you are not afraid of the invasion of moths.
Main causes of occurrence
They deserve special attention.
Here is a list of the most common mistakes that contribute to the spread of moths in the home:
- The hostess keeps things unwashed. If sweat stains remain on clothing, it may attractmole.
- Storage of fur products in cellophane cases.
- In the apartment for a long time there are stocks of cereals and flour. Most often, food moth starts in caked semolina, flour or millet.
- Closet mess: if things are folded for a long time and not shifted, moths can start in them.
- Inattention when examining clothes.
- Unwillingness to make the minimum effort to prevent moths from appearing. Orange peels and dry sprigs of wormwood and lavender, just laid out on the shelves, are good for pests.
How to get rid of the woolly variety of the pest?
What to do if you find moth larvae in your winter clothes? Fighting methods can be both modern and traditional. The main thing is that they effectively exterminate all individuals. Even a few eggs left in folds or seams can lead to a new pest population.
Use of chemicals
If you find a sufficiently large concentration of moth larvae at home, then folk methods of struggle may not be enough. For this reason, experts recommend using synthetic agents to treat infected areas. The main thing is to take into account that the main harm is not caused by adults at all. First of all, you need to fight the voracious moth larvae.
Remember that toxic aerosols and sprays should never be used in the kitchen. This can lead to poisoning of the entire family. Throw away without regretspoiled cereals and flour. Products damaged by moths can no longer be used for food. What to do in the kitchen where the moth larva was found? How to get rid of a pest? First of all, it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning using a soap and soda solution. Such a simple composition disinfects well.
Effective remedies
Today there are plenty to choose from.
The following formulations are good for exterminating moths:
- "Armol";
- "Clean House";
- "Raptor";
- "Dichlorvos Neo";
- "Tornado";
- "Extra Meat".
Moth-affected areas should only be treated with a respirator, goggles and long-sleeved clothing. After the room has been treated with toxic substances, an unpleasant chemical smell will remain for some time. Some modern tools do not have this drawback. The room will be completely ventilated a couple of days later. To destroy the moth larvae, it is enough to carry out one or two treatments. Protection after using the product will be maintained for 6 months.
Folk ways
It is not necessary to use dangerous chemicals to fight moths. It is quite possible to get by with proven folk remedies. They are quite affordable and give a good effect.
Popular folk remedies include:
- dried orange and tangerine peels;
- tobacco leaves;
- mint and lavender essential oils;
- sachets of lavender, wormwood;
- pine elixir;
- cedar bark;
- geranium leaves and flowers.
Adults and larvae of the house moth do not tolerate harsh aromas. In the absence of butterflies, reproduction stops.
How else can you get rid of moths? Experienced housewives recommend such simple methods as frying and freezing things. The principle of operation in this case is that the moth, along with things, is transferred to conditions unsuitable for its existence. Under the influence of too high or too low temperatures, insects simply die.
Prevention
Often, the larvae of the house moth appear even in fairly attentive housewives. What should be done to never face this unpleasant problem? Try to ventilate the apartment as often as possible. For storage, things should be removed only when washed and ironed. If possible, try to take out fur and knitwear at least once a year in the sun or frost. Never store knitted scarves, suits and sweaters in bags. Valuable furs are best treated with special compounds that prevent the appearance of moth larvae. A sachet of tansy, mugwort or lavender can be placed in the closet.
A simple and quite convenient method is to use dried orange peels. Tablets "Antimol" also give a good effect. You can also put small pieces of cloth soaked in essential oils of mint, eucalyptus or tea tree in the closet. Such strong odors will repel insects. To prevent the occurrencefood moth try to regularly touch the groats. Also, do not buy a large supply of flour and cereals in advance. When choosing a product, check its quality. Food moth infestation may be indicated by glued particles and lumps inside the package. Try to maintain order in the apartment. Regularly wipe down the shelves in your kitchen cabinets and keep dust from building up.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in the photo what a moth larva looks like, the main ways to deal with it. To protect your belongings from this unpleasant problem, it is enough to follow a number of simple recommendations.
