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Moths, Clothes Moths,
Flying Moths, Clothes Moth Larvae
 Clothes moths are small (1/3 inch) and are
rarely seen. They prefer to hide in dark places, in the seams of the
fabrics and clothes their larvae are consuming.
When startled they fly weakly and then settle quickly into a dark place once
again. If you see small moths flying freely about in a well lit place
these are not clothes moths, they are grain moths. See our article
on grain moths for control of the grain moth and their larvae.
Clothes moth larvae are so small as to be
nearly invisible. The
damage done by these larvae can be quite severe however. Disintegration
of a fabric around a button hole or seam is usually the first sign of a
clothes moth infestation. The larvae will feed upon any animal product
including wool, felt, chamois, suede, or silk. They can destroy items
such as wool rugs, wool suits, cashmere sweaters, couches and other furniture.
Clothes Moth Control---Empty the
closet of all garments. Any item that can be dry cleaned should be and then
when it is brought back inside the house it should be placed inside a tight
container such as a cedar chest, garment bag or a tight closet and one of the Insect
Guard insect strips hung nearby. These strips give off an
insecticide vapor that not only kills the clothes moth and their larvae, but
also other insects in the same location such as silverfish, carpet beetles,
ants and roaches. Each 80 gram strip lasts for four months and will
provide continuous protection for a 12 x 12 x 8 foot closet, 1152 cubic feet.
When the closet is empty vacuum thoroughly to remove accumulations of hair and
dust. Spray around the perimeter of the closet, top and bottom, with
Suspend SC, an odorless long lasting insecticide.
Suspend SC can also be sprayed onto carpets,
fine rugs and furniture. Suspend SC cannot be sprayed onto clothes.
You can use the Cessco 5E if you prefer not to mix anything. This is a low residual/low odor crack and crevice aerosol. You can also use Cessco Metered Insecticide which is an aerosol than can be sprayed in the air to kill the adults flying around.
Clothes
moth pheromone sticky traps can be placed in each closet or storage area
to serve as monitoring devices. When the adult moths emerge they will
fly directly to these sex lures before they have a chance to lay eggs on your
clothes. Each trap will last for 3 months.
Inspect furniture, clothes, moth traps and rugs once a month to find
re-infestations.
1-800-226-8370
e-Bug Products - Do It Yourself Pest Control
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