Moths.
Adult moths are not a problem. But if you see just one flying through the house...beware.
The moth larvae are somewhere nearby eating your stored clothes in the closet or cedar chest.
Or the larvae are in your pantry eating your food such as cereal grains.
Moths that eat fabrics also eat skin, fur, wool, animal parts such as hair and paper. They usually do this in dark closed-in areas like closets but moth larvae also can be found in unused stored upholstered furniture.
PREVENTION: The key is to perform a regular inspection of the stored clothes closets and your pantry areas for signs of infestation.
- Good sanitation is essential. Clean up that pet hair for example.
- Vacuum regularly.
- Purchase sexual attractant wick or sticky traps that are designed to attract an catch adult moths. Place them in those dark out of the way areas and check them often.
- Use mothballs with your stored items and seal that storage container or closet tightly.
- Use other natural and organic repellents that use lavender, cedar, and eucalyptus to chase the moths elsewhere.
- Pesticides if used should have been packaged for this specific use and the directions followed precisely.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE MOTHS EATING YOUR STUFF:
- If you freeze things that are being eaten like a stuffed toy for a week...the larvae will be killed.
- Laundering and dry cleaning also stop the infestation.
- Alas, you will have to throw out the rest of the infected things so that the infestation can not spread any more.
