Moths

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Hi my child is frightened of moths flying in and out of his room when he’s asleep so he checks his room every night and if a moth is in there he will sleep downstairs on the sofa bed. Have you got any tips on how to either make him feel ok around moths or to get the moth out of the room or even better the house

Soak cotton balls in lavender oil and place around the room. They hate the smell ( you may too !) I think Peppermint oil may work also.

Alternatively, if there are a lot of them go nuclear on them with Aviro Moth Killer spray from Amazon, or Moth Stop from Lakeland have proven effective.
Spray curtains and carpets every 3 months or so. Ventilate the room.
Then sweep up dead or dying moths thereafter.

Does he like butterflies? This company does caterpillars you can keep as pets for a couple of weeks and grow them into butterflies. Then he can handle and release them. It might desensitise him to flying things and then you can explain that moths are just less colourful butterflies.

https://www.insectlore.co.uk/

It might be a bit late in the season for it this year though I'm not sure, they have to be released when it's a certain temperature outside.

Also fly nets on windows is a must, this will stop them getting inside.

I don’t know about butterflies I will try it and see if it works. I will also try the sprays if that don’t work. But if possible would like something not too expensive

I also do not like moths fluttering around.
Moths are attracted to light (they use the moon to navigate and get confused by light bulbs). So make sure the light is switched off in his room an hour before bedtime (give him a torch to get to bed if necessary) but keep the light on in the landing or in another room so if there is a moth in the house it will be attracted to that light not your son's room.

I do do that but still seem to get the odd few come in when he’s asleep so just thinking if he wakes up then I have to try and get it out. All the neighbours seem to get a lot of moths as well maybe it’s just the area.

Poor kid. I was terrified of moths when I was younger too. Still am, especially the big fat ones. No advice op sorry but I feel his worry !!

There may be something in your household that attracts them. If you kill them all and they keep reappearing, you have to check everywhere.

Or you can guide them to fly out in the middle of the night.

There is nothing in my house that I am aware of but one of the neighbours has an overgrown garden so maybe that’s why but I can’t make the neighbour cut her lawn

Put a screen on his window

I'm assuming you're talking about garden moths rather than carpet or clothes moths.

They're excellent pollinators (like bees). They don't sting or bite and they will avoid contact with humans as far as possible. They are attracted to light.

Can you help him see them as part of nature, good for plants and so good for other animals? And harmless.

Better to address the fear as that will help in other situations.

If still concerned, put up fly mesh when you have the windows open

He is really stubborn and the only way to get him to listen is to make him think it’s his idea which is really hard to do.

DD loves moths. Could you get him a book about moths, help him identify them outside, learn to appreciate them. Some are really beautiful! Agree with the idea above about rearing butterflies - we have used the same company.

Just wondering if it would help with his fear, if he could recognise the different types, etc. Familiarise himself a bit.

That probably would work he likes to read and he knows that if it’s from a book then it isn’t a lie