Moths

Most moth infestations come from the clothes moth and the pantry moth and enter your home on infested items carried into the home. Food as well as clothing items might have larvae or eggs already hiding within them and you might be completely unaware of bringing them into your house yourself. Not until you notice damage to your clothing, curtains, carpets, upholstery or dry food products such as cereals and flour.

It is not the moths that eat the fabric or dry food – their larvae are the culprits. There are four common species of clothes moths that will damage fabrics:
   • the common clothes moth or webbing clothes moth which causes irregular holes in fabrics;
   • the case bearing clothes moth which eats smaller, more regular shaped holes;
   • the brown house moth which eats animal based materials such as feathers, furs and leather;
   • and the white shouldered house moth which eats a range of food, therefore causing less damage to textiles.

You will find pantry or food moths in dry food products such as cereals, crackers, seeds, rice, flour, oatmeal as well as maize meal and sorghum. Also dried beans, dried peas, unpopped popcorn kernels, pasta such as macaroni and lasagne sheets, dry pet food, etc. Insect eggs are naturally protected against insecticides used on food, thus some end up in dry food. After time they hatch into larvae which start eating away and damaging you products. Especially when food has been sitting in the store or on your shelve for too long.

These domestic moths do not have the ability, nor the interest to bite humans. Most moths have no mouth parts at all and they do not eat. They can, however cause allergies in humans through the tiny scales which cover their wings. These scales fall off and when disturbed they become airborne, consequently triggering allergens and causing a reaction in some humans.

Although these moths are not a health threat to humans, the damage they can cause to textiles and food makes them a definite enemy. There are certain things you can do to solve your moth problem. But if you have tried everything to eliminated these pests in vain, it is probably time to call Pest Control Excellence for an inspection.