Surely each of you understands that the appearance of a moth does not promise anything good. This small flying parasite causes irreparable harm to food and clothing. In this article, you will learn what moth eats.
What is this pest?
The common moth looks like a relatively small and completely harmless butterfly. However, in addition to adults, there are also larvae that are consumers of keratin, easily obtained from woolen fibers, pile of carpets and fur coats. After them remain vital products clogging up “places of the past dinner”.
Of course, not a single face is able to completely destroy a carpet or a fur coat, but the thing will still be spoiled, as several rather large holes will appear in it. Those who study that they eat moths are sure that in one day each individual is able to gnaw through a woolen or half-woolen product through and through.
The main types of insects
Modern biologists know about forty families of ordinary moths. Moreover, some of them live in our latitudes. The most gluttonous, and therefore dangerous for human habitation are:
- Furniture moth eating upholstery. This variety often settles in natural wood.
- Clothes moth. This insect is harmful to woolen products.
- Cereal moth that lives in the kitchens and eats all kinds of cereals.
Propagation Features
An insect caught in a dwelling or occupied an area begins to multiply actively. This process takes place in four stages. At first, the female lays eggs. They can be collected in one place or scattered over the entire area of the site, which will subsequently be occupied by parasites.
Those who do not know that they eat moths will be interested in the fact that during the development and growth of caterpillars the previous generation of pests gradually dies out. This explains the marked reduction in the number of flying butterflies.
Actively feeding larvae begin to increase in size. A well-fed individual pupates and spends about two months in its cocoon. After this period, a mole appears from there, resembling a randomly flying butterfly.
If the eggs are laid in early autumn, then the larvae have to winter in woven cocoons. Individuals that find themselves inside living quarters continue to eat intensively, and all the rest hibernate until spring arrives. It should be noted that not all varieties of flying parasites are able to endure winter frosts. With the onset of heat, butterflies appear from the cocoons, which, in turn, begin to reproduce offspring.
Cotton moth
Scientists disagree on the homeland of this insect. Some believe that this is Australia, others - India, others - China. The pest brought to Egypt turned into a real disaster for the inhabitants of the country. The thing is that this moth eats cotton. She began to rage on plantations where valuable long-fiber varieties grew. From India and Egypt, she moved to Japan, Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Greece and South America. And wherever this pest appeared, people had to suffer enormous crop losses.
The complexity of the fight against this species of moth and the rapid speed of its spread throughout the countries involved in the cultivation of cotton, due to its biological characteristics. The main difficulty is that the caterpillar is able to winter inside the boxes remaining on the field. They penetrate in large quantities into the storage of seed, fiber and raw. In winter, the caterpillars are in a state of diapause. Therefore, they quite resistant to the effects of pesticides, as well as high and low temperatures. The duration of this condition is up to two and a half years.
Cabbage Moth
This is one of the most common pests, the fight against which takes a lot of time and effort. The main danger is not adults, but larvae. Such a moth eats cabbage. This native of Southern Europe adapted well to the harsh Russian winters. Due to its color (from light gray to brown), it is often mistaken for ordinary dirt.
Most often, it settles on cabbage, but does not disdain other cultures from the cruciferous family. She liked plants like mustard, rapeseed, radish and radish. Large vegetables are inhabited by entire families of pests. First, they destroy the upper layers of the leaves, then switch to buds and buds. They pose a particular threat to late varieties of cabbage, which are planted in open ground.
What is the danger of food moth?
If this pest eats clothes, you will learn further. It is sad that this insect can even start in the most sterile kitchen. He is comfortable in conditions of insufficient ventilation and high humidity. Food moth often settles in a variety of cereals and pasta. It can also be seen in seeds, nuts, coffee, tea, flour, dried herbs and baby food. Therefore, those who believe that this moth eats wool are deeply mistaken.
This hardy and very tenacious pest can tolerate severe frosts. He loves to hide in secluded corners. Often a moth gets hammered under a wallpaper, in plinths or in crevices. A great habitat for them are places of large accumulation of dust. Food moth enters the dwelling together with the groats bought in the store. Therefore, before purchasing this or that package, you need to make sure its integrity. The bag brought home should be checked for larvae.
Those who already understand that they eat moths need to understand that in the process of insect development a large number of dead larvae, skins and feces remain in the grain. All this makes the cereal unsuitable for further use. It is better to throw such a product into the garbage chute.
To avoid the appearance of moths, it is necessary to clean the kitchen regularly, paying particular attention to the cabinets in which dried fruits, cereals and bulk products are stored. Shelves can be treated with soapy water and wiped with a clean, damp cloth.