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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

HUGE Black Flying Moth in my House

62 replies

Chunkers · 05/07/2019 23:54

I saw a black shape flash past in the corner of my eye when I went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Went to assure myself it was nothing (ha ha) and this black winged creature flew back and forth a couple of times.

It’s MASSIVE! At least 4 inches across and you can hear it’s wings beating. I’m so shocked, it must have been in the house for hours as I closed the windows mid afternoon.

I’ve managed to barricade myself into the bedroom and hope it’s not in here with me. Still need to clean my teeth etc. but WTF?? Longe TV is on, all lights blazing and it’s still going to be there in the morning.

It’s not an AIBU, but any ideas on how to usher it out safely (mine mostly)? I usually repatriate spiders to the great outdoors when necessary, but this is a whole different kettle of fish.

OP posts:
5foot5 · 06/07/2019 00:01

Move house?
Sorry not helpful but I am phobic about moths and the thought of one that big is horrific.
Are you sure it is a moth? Could it be a bat?

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:08

I’ve only just moved in... It wasn’t in the survey!

I did consider a bat or a small bird, but as I was trying to take a picture of it (through the glass lounge door), I think it is a moth.

OP posts:
listsandbudgets · 06/07/2019 00:09

Are you certain it's not a bat OP?

I think Id open the bathroom window as wide as possible, turn off the light ( moths and bats are attracted to light) shit the door and go to bed with unbrushed teeth

Hopefully it will be gone in the morning

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:12

Sorry, as it was flying towards me. I put on all the lights thinking that would attract it but it didn’t work. It hides when it’s not flying about.

OP posts:
MitziK · 06/07/2019 00:13

Well, moths are attracted to light and bats are attracted to moths, so if you switch the light off and leave the window open, presumably any moth will leave in favour of a street light and any bat will follow suit.

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:14

I’d have to venture back out though. I know it needs to be done but still...

OP posts:
Iamthewombat · 06/07/2019 00:15

HAHAHAHA at ‘it wasn’t on the survey’!

Death’s head hawk moth? They are massive.

I will get rodded for this but when I lived on my own my solution to moth terror was to stun them with ‘glade’ air freshener then put them to death. Sorry. It is very effective though.

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:16

It’s the thought of it getting caught in my hair too with all it’s flapping about.

OP posts:
MustStopSnacking28 · 06/07/2019 00:16

Burn the house down Grin I fucking hate moths! Sorry not helpful...

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/07/2019 00:17

Shut the door and gently shake the curtains, tap the soft furnishings . If it is a moth is the room them that should dislodge it .

Catch it with the glass+cardboard.

I had a moth in my bedroom, I thought for a second it was a ouse ! (Then realised mice don't actually fly)

If it;s a bat then leave well alone they are protected .

Bunnylady53 · 06/07/2019 00:17

This happened to me at our old house & I seriously thought it had come from overseas in a box of fruit or something as I had never seen anything so big! What I saw was definitely a moth & I am really not good with them so this was like a horror movie! DH was away too so I had to deal with it on my own. Ended up chasing it out of the door with a hardbacked exercise book, shouting “ Get out of my house you black bastard” lol 😂

MitziK · 06/07/2019 00:19

Put a T shirt over your hair like a headscarf. Then if anything bumps into you which is pretty unlikely as the bats in hair thing is largely bollocks, they just bounce off the material.

I suspect you're flapping more than the flying thing.

You're fine. You're in your home. It's the poor, unfortunate flappy thing that's at risk.

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:21

I don’t have a glass big enough! I’ve been googling too and not keen on the symbolism either to be fair. It’s completely jet black.

OP posts:
Frequency · 06/07/2019 00:22

I agree with the poster who said burn the house down. I can cope with moths. Bats are fine. I can deal with bats. Ditto spiders, mice, rats and other creep crawly things but moths are demons from Hell. They need to be killed with fire. All of them.

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:22

Right, I’m off to do battle!

OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 06/07/2019 00:23

I'd sleep in the car and phone my dad to come and evict it.

Failing that, you need a clear escape route for it. So lights off and one window open wide.

Wrap a sheet around your head and neck. I can't stand them flapping near my face so would cover that as much as I can too. Lights off first, then get a window open.

Good luck from a fellow phobic. ☹️

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:25

Trouble is, unless I see it flying out, how will I know if it’s gone? Before I got into the bedroom, I managed to shut all the doors bar the bathroom, so it’s probably in there. Bah.

OP posts:
Frequency · 06/07/2019 00:28

You don't need the bathroom, OP. Nail the door closed and let the moth keep it. If you don't have a second bathroom then use a bucket and wash in the kitchen sink.

Original poster
Chunkers · 06/07/2019 00:33

OMG, my heart is thumping!!!

I went through and found the lounge door open and thought aw, crap.

Then it started flying about again. I squealed! (Didn’t think that was a ‘me’ thing to do, but there you go.

I think it’s actually a little bird, which is making me feel a tiny bit better.

Just need to catch my breath for round 2.

OP posts:
idontwanttodoit · 06/07/2019 00:38

Good luck @Chunkers Grin

OytheBumbler · 06/07/2019 00:43

Sounds like a bat🦇

Leave the window open but get a picture first please.

MitziK · 06/07/2019 00:44

Tun the light off and leave it until the morning. Poor thing will be dead by then if you keep stressing it.

SunburstsOrMarbleHalls · 06/07/2019 00:47

We had one like this last summer, apparently our local area became a breeding ground for Poplar Hawk Moths.

I heard it flapping about before I saw it and it was flipping massive, I actually screamed and ran out of the bathroom shutting the door behind me. It was literally the size of the palm of my hand.

DP is used to me being phobic with things like spiders and thought I was exaggerating but even he went pale when he saw it.

After trying to evict it out of the bathroom window with no luck it flew into the toilet so (and I know this is awful) DP slammed the lid down and flushed the loo. We could still hear the humming and it took 8 flushes to go.

We thought it was some tropical hybrid until googling revealed that there had been loads of sightings of them. For about 2 nights we could hear more of them banging into windows and even saw a couple of a day time in the garden. It still makes me shudder now even thinking of it.

Noseynails · 06/07/2019 00:48

Does it have a beak?

mullyluo · 06/07/2019 00:50

We had one two night ago, dh promised me he got rid, then when the baby got up for a feed this bloody thing came flapping at me. Dh woken up to look for it and its dissapeared (serves him right for lying about it). Only reappeared tonight and has been evicted. Best of luck OP, no way I could tackle it on my own.