We’ll be discussing the house month. Have you ever experienced a house moth infestation?
Do you know why there are so many moths everywhere in your apartment? I see moths in my house. Where are they coming from?
We will try to answer your questions shortly.
Pest infestations can be terrible nightmares to go through. For many, such situations can be overwhelming hence requiring professional help.
What Causes Moths In The House?
Do you see tiny moths flying around the house?
Different types of pest problems or situations bring about varying degrees of difficulty. However, one thing familiar with all pest situations is that they’re unwanted.
Such pests could range from roaches, rodents, mosquitoes, wildlife presence, ants, termites, bed bugs, and many other problems that could cause significant discomfort and damage.
One of these pests under focus here is house moth infestation.
Problems Of Pantry Moth Infestation In House
If you’ve ever experienced house moth infestation, you’d know that these insects cause many problems.
Such problems are most common around the kitchen (pantry area), as well as with clothing. These tiny pests will readily ruin fabrics.
These pests chew through clothing like rodents. Your favorite dress can easily get ruined when house moths invade your home. Asides from causing damage to the fabric, these pests will chew through leather materials.
Different items are made from leather materials, ranging from furniture and clothing.
The brown house moth is most notorious for leather damage. You’re likely to find these items chewed through or with holes. House moths also target food.
These moths contaminate foods not correctly stored.
In any case, having house moths around does no good to the homeowner.
Types of House Moths
When dealing with a house moth infestation, you must know what type you’re faced with. Sometimes, the incidence may involve multiple species or varieties. Each moth type does a certain kind of damage.
So, having multiple types makes the infestation even worse.
Common house moths include the brown house moth, the webbing clothes moth, and the casemaking clothes moth.
You’re likely also to find the pantry moth, carpet moth, White-shouldered house moth, and warehouse moth. Each type poses a unique challenge during infestations.
Damage Caused By House Moth Invasion
Having mentioned the most common house moths, it’s crucial to provide information on problems caused to help you quickly identify them.
One or more of these moth types are likely to present and responsible for the damage you see.
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Brown House Moth
This type of moth can be identified by its dark bronze-brown body coloration. They typically measure around 10mm and feed on various items such as leather, carpets, wool clothing, oatmeal, and biscuits.
You’re likely also to find them feeding on flour, rice, and potatoes.
Upon identifying these moths, it’s essential to look at areas with significant humidity, such as those closest to gas heaters and showers.
You’re likely to find brown house moth larvae around such areas.
This house moth type has a buff gold color and is slightly larger at 12mm than the brown house moth. The webbing clothes moths are readily attracted to animal-based fibers.
Examples include leather, wool, felt, fur and silk. They’ll readily ruin any clothing made of such materials.
These moths target clothes made from the materials mentioned above due to the keratin contained in them. Keratin is needed for proper larval development.
Webbing clothes moths have hair-like fringes and prefer to stay in the dark, unlike other moth types.
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Case making Moth
The casemaking moth has a brownish-gold appearance and targets animal-based fibers. They’re rightfully called the case-making moths due to the silk cases they make for hiding.
Such cases are mobile as they’re carried around.
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Pantry Moth
The pantry moth can be distinguished from other moth types through its pale grayish coloring mixed with reddish-brown patches. It’s not difficult to figure out that pantry moths infest the pantry area in search of food.
Food is easily contaminated by these pests when not stored properly.
These pests’ target foods include pasta, nuts, tea, and flour.
Also, other cereals are targeted by these moths. You might want contaminated food excluded or discarded when treating pantry moths.
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Carpet Moth
Carpet moths are mostly known for the damage caused to carpets. These moths are dark brown with beige spots and are among the smallest moths you’ll find.
When they get beneath your carpet, they slowly destroy it by feeding on its fibers.
If you wonder how you got them in the first place, you might want to trace your activities. Have you visited a flea market in recent times? The second-hand furniture you brought in might have started the problem.
Carpet moths tend to destroy carpets stored in dark areas quickly.
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White-Shouldered House Moth
This is another brown-bodied moth.
However, this type can be distinguished from the rest by the white patches found around the head. These moths will feed on just about anything they can find, including cereals, grains, and flour.
White-shouldered moths gravitate towards well-lit areas.
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Warehouse Moth
Warehouse moths are dark brown in appearance.
While these could find their way into homes, they’re primarily found in warehouses and are among the most challenging moth types to deal with.
Consider Professional Treatment
When faced with a stubborn house moth infestation, it’s necessary to call for the most comprehensive treatment possible. Professional pest control services will perform thorough extermination.
Their trained and experienced technicians understand house moth behaviors.
Such information helps provide effective treatment.
While this is true, it’s necessary that you only go for reputable pest management services as these provide better and more comprehensive solutions.
Will DIY Approaches Resolve House Moth Infestation?
DIY strategies can only do so much to resolve your moth issues.
Moth infestations can be overwhelming for a lot of homeowners. This is especially true when you don’t know how to go about effective treatments.
Most of the time, this approach isn’t reliable enough. The pest problem might linger on for longer than necessary. Your everyday actions worsen House moth infestation.
Fresh grocery supplies can easily get contaminated when stored in the infested pantry and other locations.
House moth infestation can be better handled when you understand the pest problem you’re dealing with. We’ve identified the different moth types in addition to the kind of damage caused.