Is this moth damage ?

[667TheNeighbourOfTheBeast]

Hi I’ve just got some lambswool jumpers out of storage and found these holes that were definitely not there when I put them away! The jumpers were freshly washed and stored in vacuum bags in the top of the wardrobe. These look like huge holes for moths but I can’t think what else it could be. Any help appreciated please

Oops forgot photo

I'd say so yes

I had similar recently despite thinking the holes were far too big and there wasn't any physical evidence of frass or cases.

What else could it be though?

Wow I didn’t realise they could chew holes that big ! But I guess if they have lots of little nibbles it can add up. I did have natural moth repellent sachets in my wardrobe but these were in a vacuum bag. Luckily this was an old jumper. I can’t see anything on the fabric but presumably the larvae or whatever could still be in the vacuum bag. The rest of the bag contains my husbands extensive collection Of Xmas jumpers but these are all synthetic I think

They are a nightmare, if there's any cashmere in the jumper they're on it. I'm clearing my late parents house and mums cashmere jumpers were ruined. Holes like yours etc

Thank you everyone. So i am going to wash everything that was in the bag with them, but does this mean they are all over the place now ? I’m worried about my silk wedding dress which is in a separate wardrobe but not sure how quickly they spread. Do I need to do anything else on there than get a couple of moth killing sachets ? I hate having pesticides in the house, has anyone used the natural moth deterrents? You can get ones that hang in the wardrobe I had done ages ago but that was before I had seen any signs of moths,

Usually if moths have been at something you will find baby moth cocoons (looks a bit like off white fluff but some of it will be in a neater cocoon type shape)

Thank you, I haven’t noticed anything like this, are they visible to the naked eye ?

I’m sorry to hear that. I remember the horrendous smell of mothballs at my grandmothers house as she had fur coats(we aren’t posh/rich, my grandfather used to work for a furriers) I’m not sure what was in them but I think it had been banned now as a carcinogenic chemical!

John Lewis do a repellent that interferes with their pheromones I believe, so stops them reproducing. It’s in a small glass bottle that you put into the wardrobe.

I try to have cedar all over as well.

I'd freeze anything you want to keep. Kills any moths or eggs.