How to get rid of moths?

If moths have already taken over your house, how on earth can you get rid of them? These are the best advice for removing moths effectively:

Regular vacuuming of carpets, floors, and mouldings – To keep your house free of dust and grime, which might lure moths inside, try cleaning it using a vacuum, dusting cloths, or eco-friendly cleaners. Pay close attention to the cracks and crevices when vacuuming. Moths prefer to lay their eggs in remote locations because they are less likely to be disturbed there. To prevent the spread of moth eggs and larvae, be careful to empty the contents of your vacuum regularly and wash your dusting clothes.

Use white vinegar – White vinegar is a natural cleaning agent that alters the PH of surfaces it comes into contact with. Mix vinegar and water into a solution to wash and scrub any spots where you discovered larvae or eggs. The environment is too corrosive for them to live in. White vinegar can change the appearance of some polished surfaces, including metals, stone worktops, and hardwood floors, so use caution when using it in the home.

Freeze clothes or other items that show signs of moth infestation – Extreme cold prevents moth eggs and larvae from surviving. As a result, anyone who has clothing with moth damage can try freezing it. To ensure that any larvae are killed off, place the garments inside a ziplock bag and freeze them for 24 hours.

Combine different kinds of herbs – Combine lavender, bay leaves, cloves, rosemary, and thyme in a bag that can be hung anywhere you keep clothing or food. The scents of these herbs repel moths as well. You can also use a diffuser with one or more of these oil mixtures, or you can dilute the essential oils of these herbs and spray them on your clothing and other items.

Use cedar oil – Moths can also be repelled by cedar oil, although the oil’s scent will fade over time. If you want to fill a room with the aroma of cedar oil, either put some in a diffuser or combine some with water and use it as a room spray.

Utilize sticky traps – Moth traps are made of sticky flypaper coated in pheromones to draw in adult moths. When moths land on paper, they are incapable of escaping and eventually die. Moth traps should be hung where moths congregate, such as in kitchen cabinets or closet interiors.

7. Call a pest control company – Occasionally, your own methods of eradication and prevention are insufficient. Contact a nearby pest control business, like Merlin Environmental, to discover what options they can provide if your moth infestation is out of control.

What are moths?

Moths are invertebrates with three body parts and six legs belonging to the class “Insecta.” Due to their minuscule scale-covered wings, moths belong to the order Lepidoptera, which translates to “scaly wings.” In Britain, there are approximately 2,500 different species of moth.

According to Butterfly Conservation, specialists divide moth species into macro-moths and micro-moths. Macro moths are larger species, while micro-moths are smaller. In Britain, there are about 900 macro-moths. Many micro-moths are tiny, but some are bigger than the tiniest macro-moths.

What is the purpose of moths?

Species such as amphibians, small mammals, bats, and birds depend on moths and their larvae as a source of food. Young chicks, including those of the most recognizable garden birds, need moth caterpillars. These wildlife species could suffer catastrophic consequences if moth populations significantly drop.

Moths are essential in providing us with information about the state of our environment. They are particularly helpful as indicator species because they are pervasive, present in diverse habitats, and sensitive to changes. We may learn a lot about changes in our environment by keeping an eye on their numbers and ranges, including the effects of new farming techniques, pesticides, air pollution, and climate change. 

By consuming the leaves of plants, moth caterpillars significantly affect plant life. Moths aid in the formation of seeds by pollinating flowers while consuming their nectar. This is helpful to wild plants and many of our food crops, which depend on moths and insects for a successful harvest.

What do moths eat?

Both the pine and oak processionary moths can completely strip a tree of its leaves or needles, leaving the tree vulnerable. The UK is also home to a moth species known as the water veneer (Acentria ephemerella). Their larvae live underwater and eat waterweed and pondweed, while the adults tend to live near the pond.

Some moths in the Tineidae family eat lichens, fungus, and other organic materials like rotting wood. Some moths, such as the immature gypsy moth, prefer to eat leaves with a fungal infection.

From the common clothes moth and case-bearing clothes moth, moth larvae can also consume fabric. Natural fibres including cotton, velvet, silk, wool, fur, leather, and linen, are all consumed by clothes moths.

How do moths reproduce?

After emerging from her cocoon, the female moth engages in classic moth mating behaviour, sitting on a perch while releasing chemical signals called pheromones to attract male moths. The male moths fly about in search of the female’s pheromones. He will locate her to mate. The pair will connect their abdomens, facing away from one another. He will then transfer sperm to her fertilising her

After mating, the female looks for a location to lay her eggs where the larvae can access an abundance of the appropriate food. The moth larvae subsequently emerge from the egg. The larvae continually consume the food around them, which helps them develop quickly through several instars or growth phases before becoming pupae, which ultimately change into adult moths. The moths’ life cycle is finished when the adults of the following generation mate again.

Where do moths lay eggs?

Webbing moths and case-bearing moths both lay their eggs on the fabrics that the hatchlings will devour.  Outside they may lay their eggs on your fruit trees. Generally, moths lay their eggs near a food source their offspring can feed on. The UK is home to a huge variety of moth species, each with its own dietary preferences.

What do moths’ eggs look like?

Females lay their eggs individually or in small groups and are tucked away in soft materials like clothes folds or furniture cushions. The eggs are about the size of a pinhead.

Both webbing moths and case-bearing moths lay eggs that are very small and difficult to see (approximately 0.5mm), but they resemble little orbs arranged in a row or cluster. You might be able to see the eggs more clearly depending on the colour of the fabric, particularly if many have been laid together.

What attracts moths?

Finding the cause of infestations can be easier by understanding what attracts moths. Active infestations are difficult to manage on your own, so call Merlin Environmental for efficient eradication.

Lights, doors and windows

Moths are known to be attracted to light, which is frequently accurate. At night, moths usually congregate around external lighting or windows, from where they may enter through small gaps or when doors and windows are unlocked.

Clothes and food

Clothes moths cling to fibre materials like fur, wool, and silk in closets. The webbing or casemaking clothes moth species may cause damage to clothes, as discovered by many homeowners. Both pests leave their feces behind and chew holes in garments, resulting in much frustration. 

Some moth species, such as the Indian Meal Moth, are attracted to human foods. Once inside your home, they seek food and lay eggs. The larvae eat a range of processed goods, grains, dried nuts, cereals, and other items. The droppings, cocoons, and web-like material produced by these pests can contaminate food.

Why are moths attracted to light?

Bright lights attract moths because they mess with the insects’ sense of direction. Moths and insects collected around lights like lamps are common, particularly in summer. Often, organisms mesmerised by such a radiance die from overheating or are eaten by predators. Moths, generally nocturnal organisms, have evolved to navigate by the moon’s light using a technique known as transverse orientation. Other lights, such as electrical lighting, mess with their ability to orient themselves, often resulting in moths spending hours bashing their head against your lightbulb.

Why are moths dusty?

When you accidentally touch a moth or manage to catch one that has gotten into your home and try to release it outside, the insect likely leaves behind what seems like dirt from its wings. This ‘dust’ is, in fact, rapidly shedding scales.

Small scales make up this dust, which the moth utilises for various activities. Losing a few scales won’t hurt the moth, but if you catch one, it increases the risk that you’ll remove too many scales and negatively affect its ability to fly.

Scientists are still unsure of the specific function of these scales on a moth’s wing. However, studies have connected these scales to aiding aerodynamics as well as thermo regulation.

A moth’s wings can be easily stripped of their dusty coating. In fact, moths lose a few scales every time they fly or land. Occasionally, windy conditions can also remove scales. Although scales may help with aerodynamic efficiency, they are not necessary for the moth to fly. Hence, a moth can fly even if nearly all its scales are missing.

Where do moths go during the day?

Most moth species are nocturnal (active at night). They conceal themselves in the shade of trees during the daytime or find a way inside a home’s dark corners. A moth will spend most of the day hiding because it is their first priority to be safe throughout the day. Since many adult moths don’t eat at all, this is actually not a problem for them.

What is the difference between moths and butterflies?

Moths and butterflies have many things in common, including their scales and the fact that they both belong to the order Lepidoptera. Listed below are the notable differences between the two:

Characteristics of a butterfly

Characteristics of a moth