At the end of my tether with moths - help!

[frogalou]

We have moths in the house but we have no idea where they come from.

We have had them for a good few weeks now. I am burning lavender, have sprayed lavender & cedar oil in the chest of drawers, all the drawers also have moth killer. We got rid of the old carpet in our bedroom and I sent my big sheep skin rug for a clean. We have bought some chemical spray which we have sprayed now and then, we have sticky things that attract the males, we spent hours hoovering in all nooks and crannies yesterday, in the corners, by the walls, behind the sofa!! .... but the wee b*$t2rds are still coming out, they drive me nuts.... what's next? Moving house?!

Are they not just coming in the windows?

Check your food cupboards - some are attracted by dry foods such as packets of flour - the maggots eat it. Sorry.

No help but just to say this happens every Summer here too. I have the bedroom windows open all day and when i go to bed there are loads flying around the room. I actually just ignore them but am wondering if they are getting in my wardrobe and eating my clothes the bastards

Do you want to borrow my cat , he lives for Moth stalking

Hes outside now in the garden staring at the light

I think mine are clothes moths... so they live in the house... they look like that: www.leopestcontrol.co.uk/images/pests/comclothesmoth.jpg

They turn to dust as you splatter them, I think they are different to the outside moths.

I will give the kitchen cupboard a good clean this weekend. I have also bought come laundry bags and I will put my clothes in them with more moths killer.

After that, my next step will be bombing them: www.amazon.co.uk/Insect-Killing-Fogger-Strikeback-Twin/dp/B001U2IY8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343683731&sr=8-1

I am quite reluctant as I am pregnant and it seems to be quite enough chemical as it is.

Same here frogalou.

Have spent today clearing out my craft room, hoovering, binning a lot of fabric and bagging up wool to go in the freezer, which is now full. Ordered a load of spray. Then discovered some moths in my jumper drawer in the bedroom and in my daughters room in her wardrobe. Am feeling under seige.

Searching the internet for answers makes for depressing reading; seems like nothing short of a complete house blitz is going to touch them and even then chances are they'll be back.

Anyone here actually managed to get rid of them without calling in the rentakill mob?

Nothing positive to add here I'm afraid. Been fighting a losing battle for years. No idea where the buggers keep sprouting from. We've had new carpet, new mattresses, spraying, bombing, pheromone traps, and heaps of lavender. Still the bastards keep on coming. Am going to hang on to this thread in case anyone has a miracle cure.

ComfortablyDumb oh.... even the bombing did not work? It sounds like you tried everything... erk. I shall wait on that thread with hope too....

No, sorry frog bombing was not a permanent solution here, although might be better in your case, as I think we keep getting reinfected I was pregnant too when we bombed and was assured that it was safe still went out for most of the day though

As an aside the pheromone traps are oddling satisfying as you can see how many of the little fuckers you catch, although I don't find the full grown ones quite as icky as the wriggly, maggoty ones

Also you can buy mahoosive bags of loose lavender on Amazon (and probably other places) and make your own bags etc.

Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum as much as possible as that way you can suck up the eggs before they hatch. You need to keep up a regular system of vacuuming, once is not enough ( like combing out headlice, you need to keep repeating the task). They will diminish if you keep at it though. If replacing carpet go for synthetic rather than wool. Don't ever put away clothes once you have worn them, even if they are still clean as ( I understand) the human scent attracts the moths. Wash and dry out of season clothing thoroughly and bag up in those vacuum storage bags ( if air can't get in, then neither can moths). I've not had a particular problem myself but I know others who have, particularly in Scotland!

I have been having some too and have vacpacked all my wool with moth killers.

I saw something about birds nests in the eaves being related to more moths, apparently they are attracted to the nests - I noticed birds nesting in the eaves/edge of the attic this spring/summer but not sure how to sort it out - I can see daylight from my attic Is that what soffits are or is that something else?

They live in dark dank warm places on organic materials (like cotton & wool). Basically you've got a dirty old rag lurking somewhere that they are feasting on.
Or a bag of flour, if they are other types of moths.
Good news is they can't feed on dry & clean clothes, they need moisture.

you can also put things in the freezer to kill the moths, if you don't want to hot wash or dry clean.
Moths sometimes live in the animal glue in old furniture, or in cane furniture
Also they can infest foreign bought artefacts made with animal skin, musical instruments etc..
I noticed some under a pine cupboard I hadn't moved for years which was resting on some wool carpet.
I think posters who say it is a slow process of killing them off are right, prevention rather than cure. Just keep hoovering and airing things, and throw away anything with slightest hole marks (even fave jumpers)

I knew there was a reason to move all the furniture round constantly!
Our house has no moths, and I really put it down to me vacuuming under things, skirting boards, and mothball in Dh's suitcupboard. And never ever putting unwashed clothes back in cupboards - and I mean even a day's wear. Better out in open, if it is jacket etc.

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