Are you trying to deal with a moth infestation in your house? Professional pest control in Perth may be the best solution. Home moth infestations can be difficult to deal with as they can cause incredible damage and be expensive to treat. Understanding the life stages of the moth, how they do damage, and what to do about them can help you get through a moth infestation with as little damage as possible.
What is a moth?
A moth is a flying insect that is related to the butterfly. It usually has drab coloured wings, which fold up when it isn’t flying. There are many different kinds of moths but the ones that do the most damage during a house moth infestation are usually clothes moths or carpet moths.
Clothes moths
Clothes moths are very small, generally having less than a 2cm wingspan. They exclusively eat animal fibres, like silk, wool, and feathers. This means that moth damage to clothes can be a big problem very quickly.
There are many different moth repellents available, from harsh chemicals to natural solutions, but even if you have the best moth repellent, once you have a moth infestation in your home, isolating the damage is key. This often means searching for moth larvae – small white caterpillars about 12 mm long – and immediately throwing away or plastic bagging any clothing with larvae on them. From there, contacting professionals to treat the infestation may be your best step.
Carpet moths
Similar to clothes moths, carpet moths are less than 2 cm in wingspan, have tiny eggs and larvae, and consume animal fibres and animal skin (like leather). The adult moths have very short lives; most of the damage is done by the growing larvae. This is why it is crucial to have a professional deal with any moth infestation in your home; simply killing the adults won’t be enough. Natural moth killers are available. Like many other pest treatments, they often need to be applied multiple times. This is to destroy larvae as eggs hatch, before they have the chance to mature into egg laying adults.
If you believe your home has a moth infestation, the best thing to do is to contact a professional, such as Hall. We’ll inspect your home for damage and determine the best way to treat any moth infestation in your home. Contact us today to find out more.
