clothemoths

The webbing clothes moth also known as Tineola Bisselliella, may seem like a small, harmless creature at only 5mm long, however these are one of the worlds worst types of textile pest. Like most moths they are a yellow, brown colour, however unlike other moths theyre rarely seen flying as they prefer dark and undisturbed areas. This can make them quite hard to find, however if seen theyre usually hopping or running to find somewhere dark, warm and quiet. As their name suggests, the common clothes moth loves to eat textile materials and unfortunately for us its usually the most expensive garments such as, silks and fine wools that are on their menu.

People who have suffered from a clothes moth infestation have had the stress and expensive of having to replace all their curtains, furniture, carpets, bed linen and clothes. Although these severe infestations are extreme and fairly rare instances, clothes moths will breed and continue to destroy any materials they can find if theyre not eliminated at the first sighting.
There are ways you can decrease the chances of having a clothes moth infestation. These include tips such as, never putting dirty clothing back into your wardrobe, the clothes moth is attracted to certain smells such as, sweat and hair and they also love warm areas. If you are storing clothing such as coats and suits, it is also advisable to keep these in storage bags. When buying any second hand furniture, make sure you give everything a thorough check before you bring them into your home. Look out for small silvery threads, these are the cases that moths leave and are a good indication that moths are nearby.

 At the first sign of the clothes moth there are several methods you can follow to try and eliminate them. If you feel the infestation has already begun or you are at all uncertain about your clothes moth situation, its advisable to contact your local pest control services, who can offer expert advice and conduct an investigation. Clothes moths hate to be disturbed and unlike other moths they hate the light, therefore its advisable to regularly shake clothing and any rugs or textiles and hang them out in the sun for a short time to freshen them up. Surprisingly enough they only have a life span of about 21 days, therefore conducting a quick inspection once a month should be all you need to prevent infestation. Regularly cleaning your wardrobe and other dark areas where textiles are stored is another good tip, moths generally dont like clean materials, therefore dry cleaning or washing clothes on a hot wash will keep them away. For materials that cannot be washed you can also freeze items, which will eliminate any germs or smells.

There are also products you can purchase which are designed to eliminate the clothes moth, such as mothballs. These are small balls consisting of chemicals which will keep moths away from stored clothing and other textile garments. Theyre an ideal solution if you have a large amount of material to store or it is not convenient for you to use storage bags. However, mothballs can also be extremely poisonous and are not advisable to use around small children.  A safe and effective method to keep moths away is simply to keep everywhere thoroughly clean, vacuuming and washing down all areas, even those that are rarely used.

If you have found any signs of the clothes moth or are at all unsure if you have eliminated them or not, contact your local pest control. They can offer expertise advice and conduct an inspection.  

Resource
Terminex are pest control experts based in the London and Hertfordshire area. They are full member of the BPCA (British Pest Control Association), the pest control industrys official regulator. Visit their website or contact them today for full advice on eliminating household pests.