The problem of the appearance of moths is widespread throughout the world. Only residents of tropical regions can live peacefully, because it is there that the moth is very poorly adapted.
Each person at least once in his life fought with moth. Furniture moth can eat woolen and fur things, and it also does not disdain downy products. But the moth eats exclusively pure cotton products. But it is worth noting that if it started up at your place, it can easily change its usual diet. Most people cannot distinguish between species by their species, but insects are very different from each other.
Clothespin: photo, development, reproduction
Adult moths reach a size of 6-7 mm. Their wingspan is approximately 14 millimeters. The adult moth has a yellowish color. Darker colors are near the base of the wing.
If you were able to notice the moth that flies through your apartment, then this is exclusively a male. Despite the fact that females also have wings, “girls” are completely unable to use them. Even if you can kill a mole that flies in front of you, the problem will not be solved.
After all, if there is a male, it means that the female has already managed to lay off the larvae, from which new individuals will constantly appear. The larva of the moth is hatched. Before becoming a moth, they live in the form of small caterpillars, the length of which reaches eleven millimeters. They have powerful jaws, with the help of which they destroy tissue. Their digestive system is quite voluminous, so the larvae can chew on the dress very quickly.
Mobility and gluttony of caterpillars
It is worth noting that if there is enough food in one place, then the caterpillar will not move. Her activity is minimal. Therefore, if you manage to find one larva on clothes, you should carefully review all the things nearby. Most likely, you will find other individuals who mercilessly devour the wardrobe.
If their lair is not found in time, then with enough food, the little caterpillars begin to turn into pupae after twenty days. Subsequently, a mole grows from them, which will fly around the apartment. If synthetics are included in the daily diet, they will be able to start flying in four months.
But also with the development of pupae, one should take into account the temperature conditions in the room. If the temperature is below twenty degrees, then metamorphosis may slow down. However, it will be a period of approximately six months. But in the warmth comfortable for them, the caterpillars will turn into a full-fledged moth in two months, which will bother you.
Egg laying and sizes
Hanging moth can lay more than two hundred eggs. They have a yellowish color. Their size does not exceed 0.5 mm, so it is difficult to detect them. Often the moth makes several clutches in which there are approximately seventy eggs. In most cases, these are dark and damp places. Therefore, it is more likely to detect moths precisely under the folds of clothing.
If the air temperature is high enough, the caterpillar from the cocoon may appear in less than a month. But if the ambient temperature is below zero degrees, all the larvae will simply die.
It is also worth noting that the males are ready to mate as soon as their cocoon opens. They use olfactory reflexes to smell their female mating. The worst thing in this situation is that after four hours after mating, the female is ready to begin to lay her eggs.
Food and clothes moth: how to distinguish by flight
Moth, which spoils clothes, appears in apartments much more often. It has a golden hue of wings. If you do not touch the mole, it reaches a size not exceeding five millimeters. But when it takes off, it is quite clearly visible. However, in no case should you confuse the clothes moth with those parasites that eat cereals and other food products.
Food moth is very different from clothes. It has a fairly dark color and relatively large sizes. The site of infection can be found relatively quickly. It is worth considering that the moth flies exclusively in the immediate vicinity of its nest and food place. You can distinguish between insects and the manner of flight. Unlike other types of moths, they fly very strangely. They are characterized by spiral movements, which are the hallmark of food moths.
Where the food moth most often starts and lives
Often, these pests live in the kitchen. After all, it is there that people store flour and various cereals, which are an excellent source of food for these parasites. They can be brought into the house without knowing it. If you like walnuts, then after buying it is best to calcine them in the oven. This will completely exclude the possibility of developing this type of moth.
Also, the main source of infection are dried fruits, which lay on the counter for a relatively long time. And, of course, cereals that some grandmothers have kept for years. It is very difficult to find moths in them, because this is a loose product in which caterpillars burrow and gradually devour grains.
Moth control with aerosol insecticides
Such aerosols for humans are completely harmless, so you can use them. It is advisable only to ventilate the room well after treatment. When poison enters the skin, the moth and its larvae simply die in a few seconds. Also, poison fumes can be absorbed by breathing, so even individuals that hid under a collar or lining will still be destroyed sooner or later.
But we should not forget about furniture, because there a moth also very often starts up. You need to spray all the hidden corners in order to fully make sure that the moth will not bother you for a long time. This is a rather time-consuming process, because you need to climb into all corners. You need to move almost all the furniture to get to all possible nests. But this is a rather effective method of combating harmful insects.
Fighting food moths
With food moth, things are much simpler. You just need to find the source of infection and throw it away. Most often, it starts up in cereals, which, as you know, is pointless to spray. The easiest way is to wrap them tightly in a bag and put them in a trash can on the street. The same should be done with other products.
And if moth appeared in one package, then you may have to completely renew the stocks of spices and cereals. Often we notice moths late enough when it has multiplied. The most noticeable signal of the epidemic is if the caterpillars of food moths begin to appear on the ceiling of your kitchen. In this case, you need to sound the alarm and carefully check each product.
The fight against clothes moth folk remedies
Now you know how insidious a moth is. How to get rid of her? The main method of combating this type of moth is to provide a sharp temperature drop. It is necessary to take out all the clothes that, in your opinion, could have been infected, on the street or on the balcony. If the temperature there is below zero, then all the moths are clothes, caterpillars and even eggs will die within a day. The same thing will happen during the summer heat if the clothes lie down under the scorching rays of the sun.
It is convenient to use herbs with a specific pungent odor. It is advisable to wrap the mixture of herbs in gauze bags and put them in the pockets of clothes. Tobacco or lavender are quite suitable for pest control. Wormwood is also very helpful. And in winter, citrus peels repel insects well.
Precautionary measures
In order to completely eliminate the appearance of moths in your apartment or house, you should take precautionary measures. It is worth remembering that the clothes moth does not like both low and high temperatures. Therefore, at the slightest sign of its appearance, you need to take the clothes outside, shake it well and hang it in the scorching sun or in the cold.
After the winter, almost all people just hang winter clothes in a closet or put them on shelves. But they should be reliably packed in sealed bags, where the mole will not be able to get even with a strong desire.
Carpets and furniture are easily cleaned from moth eggs with a simple vacuum cleaner. But do not repeat the mistakes of many people - just shake the dust out of the vacuum cleaner in time. Otherwise, they can multiply perfectly inside the dust bag. And such a nest will be very difficult to find if you do not know where to look. Well, of course, do not buy second-hand items from second-hand, because they are most susceptible to infection with moths.