While adult moths might not cause damage or be harmful to you, their larvae can be quite the pests. Moth larvae will eat through dry goods and fabrics, leaving many objects in your home ruined or damaged. There are hundreds of different kinds of moths, but the ones you will probably deal with are pantry and clothes moths. Learn how you can prevent moths from coming into your house and how to handle moths if they invade.
Stop Moths Before They Invade Your Home
The first step to getting rid of moths is taking measures so that they don’t get into your house in the first place. Identifying what kind of moths are in your house is an important first step before you can take action. The moths that you see flying around your house are most likely pantry moths, and these are the ones that are commonly known to be attracted to lights. Clothes moths don’t like light and usually hide themselves away.
Clothing moths can be harder to find and identify, so it’s good to frequently check for them. Vacuuming your carpet and keeping spots that aren’t easily accessible clean can help prevent moth eggs and larvae from spreading. It’s also good to brush off any wool or fur coats after you’ve been outside so any eggs that might have latched on to your fabric fall off.
Pantry moths are attracted to foods like bread, flour, and pasta. These moths can infest food packages and lay eggs which spread the infestation. Be sure that you have everything tightly sealed in your pantry and that your bread is away. Using airtight containers for your dry goods is a helpful way to keep pantry moths out. You should also be checking the expiration dates of old foods and goods that have been in your pantry for a longer time, as they are more likely to accumulate moths.
Old clothes or furniture can be a potential hiding place for clothes moths. When you’re storing things away, make sure to put them in a cool, dry place and that the items are tightly packed. If you put them in a room that changes with the weather, like garages or basements, the items in these rooms might be more susceptible to moth infestations. Closets, inside rooms, and attics are great alternatives to the basement.
Moths can enter small spaces between doors and windows. Check for window screen holes and seal any spots that you can see. You can also keep your light off when your door is open to limit the number of moths that can enter your house at nighttime.
Make Your Home Moth Free
When you find moth larvae, or notice moths more frequently in your home, there are some steps you can take to remove them.
You’ll most likely find clothes moths in your closet, the seasonal clothes that you store away, or other fabrics that are in storage. Here are some of the ways that you can effectively deal with clothes moths:
- Clean your closet somewhat regularly
- Throw away infested items
- Deep clean/dry clean the clothes you keep
- Bag and freeze the items that you don’t wash
- Monitor your closet after you remove everything for signs of continued infestation
Pantry moths are handled differently than clothes moths, as they are more likely to be in your kitchen and around food. Here are some efficient ways that you can rid your pantry of these pests:
- Empty the pantry and look through everything
- Get rid of non-airtight packages
- Vacuum the area
- Don’t restock right away to monitor the infestation
- Place nuts and grains in the freezer if you have space
You can prevent moths from coming into your house in the first place by using a Dynatrap® Outdoor Insect Trap. These traps provide coverage against a variety of flying pest insects around your lawn and yard.
For indoor protection, try a Dynatrap® Indoor Insect Trap. These convenient plug-in traps use light to attract flying insects to the traps, where they are then trapped by a sticky glue card. The trap's powerful bug-trapping technology lies within a discreet and unassuming exterior. The best part? Trapped insects are hidden from view so you'll never have to see them.
Tell us About Your Experience
Let us know how our tips and advice help you or tell us your own tricks next time you visit our Facebook page! You can view our full selection of insect traps and learn more about common pest insects by browsing our site. Sign up for our enewsletter to be the first to know about new products and exclusive promotions, plus stay up to date with our expert advice.
