As the saying goes, for a successful single combat with the enemy, you need to learn as much as possible about its existence. So we will do the same, before we start getting rid of moths in the apartment, we will find out its peculiarity.
A vulnerable spot will always be found, and even more so in a voracious butterfly. Today, as you know, there are more than 30 types of these representatives, the most daring are:
All of these types prefer a rich menu, do not disdain the "neighbor's restaurant". So, for example, a carpet moth can eat leather goods, it is also called a kozheed among the people. The danger is not the white butterflies, which women run after, clapping their hands loudly, but their children, i.e. larvae. Such harmless worms - babies eat wool, expensive fur coats with great appetite, gnaw grains, dry fruits.
No matter how we try to kill or free the moth from the apartment, there is no sense in this, since males always come under the hot hand who do not harm things, while the females lay eggs to the left and to the right!
You need to deal with them quickly, with effective methods, of course, you can not bother and purchase chemical means of struggle. However, if you have small children or pets, then you should not risk it, because they can taste everything. Therefore, let's look at folk methods of dealing with white-winged butterflies.
If the above methods did not help you, and you are still wondering how to get rid of moths in the house, then a chemical list of remedies is provided to your attention. The modern world is amazing and excellent, today, in addition to old age folk methods, there is chemistry, from which a moth will just leave your apartment in a legend or a nightmare.
Each of the chemical methods destroys white butterflies in its own way, but each has the same goal, to get rid of the annoying moth. At the same time, the industry keeps pace, produces a huge number of different drugs, some are unique, others are expensive, others are branded, etc.
For adult moths, you can recommend Arsenal-Antimol with lavender or orange flavor, as well as Globol, Extramit, Raptor with a forest scent. Newborn larvae will leave your home with the help of Antimol Taiga, Selena, Tornado, etc.
Unfortunately, the presented agents, which have a strong effect on the mole, can also affect human health. It all starts with bad smell... Therefore, use strictly according to the instructions.
Any housewife will agree that it would be better if there were no problems with insect pests at all. For yourself, note the important thing - do not allow things to accumulate in the wardrobe, and if the clothes are old or not needed at all, get rid of them as soon as possible, take care of the wardrobe every winter and summer. Check your home for maggots. Take action right away, do not breed moths in a zoo.
The container in which the food is stored, rinse, dry thoroughly, always close tightly and do not put it in a dirty or damp place.
It is important to pay attention to months such as February and March, it is here that not asked tenants tend to settle in your things and food.
Be vigilant and remember that best war with a moth is the destruction of the enemy's negative thoughts.
Irina Z.
How to get rid of moths in a house where there are many moths from nowhere?
The appearance of moths in the house is not uncommon, so it is important for housewives to be able to deal with it. These harmful insects are found in food, clothing, carpets, etc. As a result, the inhabitants of the house may lose sweaters or fur coats, furnishings or flour supplies. To avoid losses, you need to know how to get rid of moths as quickly and efficiently as possible.
There are more than 30 species of moth, among which furniture, fur coat, wardrobe, carpet, fruit, cereal, etc. are most often found. These insects up to 1.5 cm in size have an inconspicuous gray color. The greatest harm is caused not by adults, but by caterpillars and larvae, which eat a huge amount of food.
Often, moths enter the house in several ways:
It is quite difficult to find the eggs of these insects, but adults that begin to fly are easy to spot. If the tenants saw a small gray butterfly, then a pest has appeared in the house, which must be removed without delay.
If a lot of moths fly in the house, but it is not known where it came from, then you need to urgently search for:
Heat treatment... The mole feels comfortable at ambient temperatures between -5 ° C and + 45 ° C. Therefore, with a small degree of infection, the following methods will help to remove insects:
Moth does not tolerate high temperatures Attention! The necessary precautions must be taken to avoid damaging the heating system.
Chemicals... Insecticidal preparations successfully fight against clothes moths:
Attention! If small children or people with allergic diseases live in the house, then it is better to deal with pests with the help of natural means.
To get rid of moths, natural products that have a strong odor will help:
Lavender The listed products should be laid out on the shelves, which will repel insects and serve as a good prevention for the future.
Thus, various methods will help get rid of moths, the effectiveness of which has already been proven in practice. But it is best not to deal with the problem that has arisen, but to try to avoid it: regularly clean the apartment, ventilate cabinets, clean furniture and carpets, store cereals in carefully closed jars.
Good day! Every summer, the grandmother sorts out things in the closet and hangs them out to dry on the balcony. This year, this tradition has also been observed. Sorting through coats and fur coats, granny found a moth flying out of the wardrobe. And on the things themselves - the pupae of this insect.
This situation shocked her. How and why she appeared, because she always monitors the cleanliness and order in her home. At this time we just came to visit her. Grandma told us about her problem.
The wife advised her proven drugs and after a couple of days our Antonina Nikolaevna was beaming with happiness. All insects were defeated. In this article, you will learn: a mole in an apartment - how to get rid of, what to use from folk methods, types of pests, what anti-mal drugs exist.
This harmful insect has been annoying people for more than a dozen years, and not everyone knows how to remove the moth. This little creature creates a lot of trouble and problems. But in order to expel the enemy from your home, you need to get to know him better - to learn the habits and fears of the pest.
Mole in the apartment: how to get rid of
There are many types of moths, but we are interested in how to get rid of home moths (food, furniture, clothes). If you find a flying moth, you should not chase after it, because it is just a harmless male. Meanwhile, a female somewhere in a dark corner lays silvery eggs, here is a hotbed of danger for your food and clothing.
To find out how to remove a moth, you need to familiarize yourself with its favorite habitats. Most often, the nest of moths is in dark, warm places where there is little fresh air.The most dangerous are caterpillars, they then eat everything around. During the day, a small caterpillar can gnaw through a hole in your favorite coat or fur coat. Foodstuffs are also affected, especially cereals and dried fruits.
Dry food most often suffers from food (grain) moths. The nests are in stocks of flour, nuts, dried mushrooms, dried fruits and various cereals. Indeed, for such a moth, the most important thing is a warm place and lack of ventilation. First you need to sort out all the stocks and pour the products into tightly closing jars, or put them in plastic bags and tie them well.
How to remove food moth if food is badly damaged? You have found a moth nest in dry foods and they are badly damaged - these foods must be thrown away immediately. Because eating contaminated supplies is very unhealthy.
If the moth has not yet had time to settle in the supplies, but is just starting to start there, such products should be carefully reviewed and the source of infection should be removed.
How to remove moths from cereals and dry foods. After you threw away the nest of moths, in dry food it looks like lumps of cobwebs with larvae and caterpillars. Products (cereals, dried fruits, mushrooms and nuts) must be dried in a microwave or oven.
Better to use an oven. The products are placed on a baking sheet and within 20 minutes, at a temperature of 70 ° C, they are dried with the door open. Then they are placed in a tightly closed container. The next step in the question of how to get rid of moths in the kitchen is to disinfect the shelves in the closet where the contaminated food was located.
To do this, you need to prepare a soapy solution with which to thoroughly wash each shelf and cabinet doors.Then do the same operation, but with clean running water. After drying, treat each groove and crevice with vinegar or lemon juice. To do this, use an ordinary brush, shaving brush or kitchen sponge. Let the cabinets dry well for 2-3 hours before filling.
To stop wondering how to get rid of food moths, use the little secrets. Cereals and dry foods are best stored in glass or metal jars with tight-fitting lids. You can also place garlic cloves, orange peels, or young walnut leaves on the shelves.
For more effective repelling of the pest, garlic cloves can be placed in a container with cereals and dry foods.
How to get rid of moths in the kitchen using traps. There are special moth traps available from grocery stores and supermarkets. They look like a triangular box with a sticky substance inside. Such a trap works on the basis of pheromones, which attract moths and prevent them from getting out into the wild.
You need to set traps in food cabinets, and change them every two months. If you have eliminated all the pests, it is best to leave the traps in order to avoid relapse. How to get rid of moths and prevent them from appearing in the kitchen. Don't stock up on too much dry food.
If you buy cereals or flour in stores, then at home place the food in the freezer for several hours.Or even store cereals in the refrigerator, so you will definitely get rid of the pest. Do general cleaning of your supply closets at least once a month.
Unlike the kitchen moth, which starts up mainly in the warm season, the room moth lives in apartments all year round. Finding a nest of such a moth is a difficult task. But anything is possible with effort and ingenuity. The moth devours everything in its path, and even if you hid your favorite things in synthetic fabric or plastic bags, this is not an obstacle for the moth, and it will easily gnaw the way to the treat.
To find out how to remove a mole in an apartment, you need to familiarize yourself with its diet. Moth prefers to devour: fur, felt, natural velvet, book covers, wax, wool and even feathers. Caterpillars are very tenacious, they can safely live without food for a whole month.
And they die only at temperatures below zero. Therefore, they can live in an apartment in a secluded dark corner for up to two years.
How to get rid of moths and their larvae? First you need to find the source of the infection - to sort out all the things. If there are larvae on the clothes, they must be shaken out the window, and the things must be hung out in the fresh air and bright sun. Also, a sharp temperature drop kills harmful larvae.
Put things in a plastic bag and place in the freezer for 20 minutes, and then heat at room temperature, repeat the procedure five times. If a mole is started on leather, fur or woolen products, it can be removed only with the help of preparations based on dichlorvos. This is the only one effective remedy.
The most common location for a home moth is in a closet. How to get rid of moths in the closet. For this, special means against the pest are used.Very often they use naphthalene, but in addition to protecting against moths, it also harms humans. After all, it contains harmful components that lead to unpleasant diseases. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it. When buying a moth repellent, choose one that does not contain mothballs.
Now the market is crammed with modern anti-moth agents, it can be tablets, briquettes or plates. They are placed in a closet and changed every six months. In order not to wonder how to get rid of moths again, you need to prevent its appearance. All woolen items in the closet must be washed, and fur coats and fur coats must be treated with anti-malnourishment.
Also, during the warm season, fur products should be stored in special covers, or wrapped in thick paper soaked in moth repellent.
You need to protect not only the products, but also the cabinet itself. To get started, do a general cleaning, vacuum all secluded areas in the closet, and wipe all shelves with a vinegar-based solution (3 tablespoons of vinegar in 1 liter of water). And let it dry thoroughly, after which you can fill the closet with clean and treated clothes.
How to remove moths in the closet with folk remedies. Not everyone likes to use chemicals, because natural ingredients are much healthier for humans. Therefore, dried bouquets of geranium or lavender are placed in the closet. Some people make carnation and lavender pillows and place them on the shelves in the closet.
You can also use essential oils: orange, clove, lavender, fir or geranium. A piece of cotton wool or gauze is treated with oils and put in a closet, so the moth does not come close to your things, and the smell will be wonderful.The moth does not like cleanliness and fresh air, so the apartment should be ventilated and cleaned as often as possible. In addition to cabinets, moths can grow in carpets and upholstered furniture. The most effective way to kill moths is to vacuum carpets and furniture at least twice a month.
Particular attention should be paid to cleaning the baseboards. Vacuum all crevices thoroughly, especially in dark corners, as this is where moth nests are often found. Also, the larvae can be found in the corners of windows or inside shades. The next step in the question of how to get rid of moths is mechanical treatment and ultraviolet irradiation.
The moth does not tolerate noise and vibrations, so the infected things are knocked out, combed and shaken off, thus loosely attached larvae are removed.
The bright rays of the sun inflict lightning defeat on the moth, and within an hour it dies. The moth is afraid of high and low temperatures. Therefore, in order to get rid of the larvae, it is enough to freeze or heat them.
If the fabric is susceptible to fading, you can put the item in the freezer, or use steam to destroy the pest. But you need to remember that at low temperatures, larvae and eggs die within a day.
It is very difficult to get rid of moths without the use of chemicals. Nowadays in supermarkets and shops you can find a lot of anti-money drugs. There are plates, tablets, briquettes, and sprays, there are even anti-mal sections. Plates, briquettes and tablets are considered the most economical.
They include an alloy of naphthalene and camphor. Such products (plates, briquettes, tablets) are placed on the upper shelves of cabinets and nightstands. Heavy vapors of camphor and naphthalene gradually descend, thus preventing the reproduction of moths.
The funds are valid for six months. This method is really effective, but in addition to killing moths, it harms the human body. Before use, the tablet or plate must be wrapped in gauze.How to remove moths using antimole sections. This method is the most convenient, but before using it, you must carefully read the instructions. There should be only one section in a room measuring 15 m 2. Also, you need to install it away from food, and children's hands.
Before use, the protective tape is removed and the section is placed in the upper corner of the cabinet. You can choose the scent of this section (lavender, tangerine, chamomile). If you have a small child, you can purchase a special section for protecting baby clothes.
One anti-moth section distributes moth-killing vapors to 0.5 m3, and can last six months. Then the device should be replaced.
When using any chemical agent, you need to read the instructions in detail to reduce the risk of harmful substances entering your body.
The use of naphthalene, refers to folk remedies, our great-grandmothers also resorted to it. But how disappointed they would be when they learned that naphthalene scares away only adult moths, and the larvae and caterpillars do not suffer a bit.
Also, naphthalene produces saturated steam, from which cancer can develop, just like using folk remedies, you need to remember that they scare away only a new mole of animals and people. Therefore, it is not recommended to use such a tool.
If you have larvae and caterpillars, only chemicals will help.How to get rid of mole with herbs and essential oils. As you know, the moth does not tolerate pungent odors, therefore, natural lavender essential oil is used to scare it away. A piece of cotton wool or gauze is impregnated with this oil, and placed in a cabinet. You can also hang dry lavender branches wrapped in cheesecloth.
In addition to lavender, the moth does not tolerate other odors: garlic, orange, strawberry soap, kerosene and tobacco. Therefore, you can make small cloth bags with these components, and put them on the shelves in the closet. Garlic is most commonly used to combat grain moths.
To do this, an unpeeled clove is placed in a container with cereals, so you will definitely get rid of moths once and for all.
How to remove moths using indoor plants. Coleus and fragrant geranium are very unpretentious helpers in the fight against moths. Growing such a plant is as easy as shelling pears, and it will bring a lot of benefits, because the moth cannot stand its aroma.
Since you will not put a flowerpot in the closet, tear off a few leaves from the bush and place them on the shelves, when the leaves are dry, renew them. If you use plants and essential oils to fight moths, remember that they only repel moths, not destroy their larvae and eggs.
In order to avoid the appearance of moths, you need to regularly ventilate the apartment. Perform deep cleaning at least once a month. Wipe down walls, shelves, furniture, windows and chandeliers. The moth can start where you least expect to see it.
For example, on the spine of a book, or in old junk hidden in the mezzanine. Therefore, the most important advice is to throw away everything unnecessary. Why keep things that have already become obsolete? After all, keeping the old stuff, you risk paying with a hole in a new fur coat. So be realistic, and no doubt say goodbye to old stuff.
Also, when stocking up on dry foods, do not shop for a year. Buy everything in moderation and store cereals in glass or metal containers with a tight-fitting lid.It is better not to use plastic bags for storage, because a pest can very easily start in them. In order not to think about how to remove moths from dry foods, buy flour and cereals good quality... Because cheap cereals contain dust, which makes it easier for a mole to start.
After purchasing, it is better to place dry foods in the freezer for an hour, so you will avoid the appearance of moths. Many people think that moths do not like dirty things, this is a colossal mistake. In dirty things, the moth starts up faster, and uses such things with a huge appetite.
Therefore, only clean, washed items should be kept in the cupboard. Note that moths are never clothes that you often wear, their favorite treats are hidden things.
The most interesting fact is that the moth cannot stand the scent of a fresh newspaper. This is why our ancestors used to wrap woolen scarves and fur hats in newspapers. You can also put dry orange peels and horse chestnut kernels in the cabinet, their aroma repels moths very well.
Kerosene is considered another effective remedy, but its smell can disable not only the moth, but also the person. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it, although this is how the pest is poisoned in the army. How to remove moths in hard-to-reach places.
To prevent moths from appearing in dark corners, on your favorite clothes or on book spines, they use aerosols. Before using them, read the instructions and spray the product in the right places.Most often they are applied to furniture upholstery, bookshelf, clothing, dark corners and chandeliers. Also, do not forget about upholstered furniture, folding sofas, mezzanines and pantries. Moths can grow where there is dust and dirt. Therefore, carefully clean the premises, do not leave any places uncleaned, because it is in them that moths can start.
Folding furniture should be vacuumed not only from above, but also from the inside, paying due attention to the corners. In order not to worry about how to get rid of home moths, all things hidden in sofas, pantries or mezzanines should be packed. It is also better to immediately treat things with special anti-malice agents.
If you are not a supporter of chemistry, use folk remedies. And wash the places themselves with soapy water and ventilate. Then place things and lay out the lavender branches.
When cleaning, do not forget to vacuum the curled carpets, because they are most often the source of infection. Also, ventilate your winter clothing at least once a month during warmer months. If you follow all the tips and keep your apartment clean, you don't have to think about how to get rid of the moth, but also prevent its appearance.
Many people blame the flying butterfly moth for all the troubles. It is believed that she is the main pest, eats furs, wool and spoils her favorite things. But as it turned out, this is a false accusation. The moth is not to blame for anything, it does not eat anything at all. Her main job is to lay eggs and die.
This is where the problems begin, because the newly-made caterpillars are very gluttonous. And the moth is a prudent moth, and lays harmful testicles in furs, carpets, wool, etc.So babies after birth have something to eat. Caterpillars can only do one thing - it is and is almost constantly. What's most interesting is that synthetic fabrics cannot be absorbed by caterpillars, so they use them faster and more than ordinary wool or fur.
The caterpillar builds a cover for itself from the eaten wool, which it subsequently feeds on. How to get rid of and prevent moths. To do this, you need to find the places where the moth lays its eggs. After all, it is they who sometimes cause irreversible damage to your favorite things.
As you know, a mole cannot gnaw through paper or a cardboard box. Therefore, pack clean things in such materials, and put lavender or other products in them.
Let us recall the most important rules for the destruction of a pest. The moth does not like cleanliness, fresh air, and bright sunlight. Most often, the nests are located in dark places (cabinets, shelves, corners). It is necessary to get rid of eggs and caterpillars, because the flying moth itself is harmless.
The eggs are silvery white in color, and the caterpillars are one centimeter tall and can be recognized by their black head. You can get rid of the moth family only with the help of chemicals, since folk remedies only scare away the moth.
You need to use anti-malants very carefully, following the instructions.After removing the wrapper, tablets, plates and briquettes are best placed in a gauze bag, and only then sent to the top shelf. In order not to worry about how to get rid of moths, keep your entire apartment clean.
Do not allow the accumulation of dirt, dust and unnecessary things, because in addition to moths, other harmful and dangerous pets can also get there. Having familiarized yourself with the types of home moths and methods of dealing with it, you can easily protect your home, clothing and food.
Source: "jossy.ru"
The moth is a rather annoying and disgusting insect that creates a lot of problems and damages things and products. Today, there are about 30 species, each of which lays the larvae in certain places, ranging from clothing to cereals.
Some are trying to kill them, but as practice shows, there is no sense from this, tk. they mainly destroy males, who do not do any harm to things, but the females lay the larvae in different places and our main goal is to get rid of them, but they usually hide in various places. How to deal with such insects.
Of course, you can purchase various chemical control agents, but there is an option that children will accidentally pick them up or try to taste, pets.
Today we will tell our readers how to get rid of moths in an apartment with folk remedies.
The essential oil will begin to evaporate and saturate the air in the cabinet and the moth will die. The tampon lasts for two weeks, then it should be replaced with a fresh one.
Of the many species of moth known to science, we will limit ourselves to considering the species that live in residential buildings. For the kitchen, this is a grain moth, and in living rooms, carpet, felt, furniture, clothes and fur coat types of moths can exist quite comfortably.
In the presence of comfortable conditions - high humidity and in the absence of ventilation, the grain moth becomes a full-fledged hostess in the kitchen. Having gained access to cereals and their derivatives, female grain moths lay eggs on them in large quantities.
Small larvae, hatched after a while from the laid eggs, eat with an incredible appetite everything edible around them: buckwheat, rice, wheat, rye, barley, flour, pasta and dried fruits. The grown caterpillar with a web connects individual grains, glues them to itself and drags this food supply along, crawling from place to place.
At the end of the development phase, the caterpillar finds a secluded place in the cracks of cabinets or behind the baseboards, creates a cocoon around itself and turns into a pupa, from which a moth butterfly emerges over time.
All types of cereals, flour and dried fruits should be stored in tightly closed containers. If it was not possible to protect the food from moths, we study the degree of spoilage. If the cereals are pretty spoiled by the larvae, we immediately get rid of them.
If the caterpillars of the moth have just started their "work" and did not have time to spoil the food supplies, we carefully sort out such cereals in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or in the oven gas stove at a temperature of 700 C for 20 minutes. Door oven at the same time it should be ajar.
You can destroy the eggs and larvae of the kitchen moth by subjecting the cereals to cold treatment. It will be enough temperature below 00 C and half an hour of time.All cabinets, shelves, drawers in the kitchen are washed with warm soapy water, and then once again we go through them with clean water. We coat each groove, each gap, each hole with a brush dipped in vinegar or saline solution.
Having carried out a titanic work to remove " uninvited guests", It remains to put sprigs of geranium or lavender on the shelves and put a handful of tobacco or citrus fruit peels on the shelves - all these smells will scare away moth butterflies, which means that the appearance of eggs and larvae of this gluttonous insect will no longer threaten us.
A community of clothes, carpet, felt, furniture and fur moths feeding on fur, carpets and wool, for convenience, we will call one collective name - woolen moth. Representatives of this family of domestic pests are outwardly similar to grain moths, but are extremely tenacious and resistant to temperature extremes.
All 12 months of the year reproduce and reproduce, they can go without food for more than a month, but if they find something edible for themselves, they can gnaw through plastic wrap or synthetic fabric that have become an obstacle to the meal.
They enjoy almost everyone: fur, felt, wool, velvet, feathers, book bindings, wax - this is an incomplete list of what the caterpillars of the woolen moth are able to eat.
They live for about two years, then turn into a pupa, from which a moth butterfly later flies out. Without fail, we regularly clean the apartment: we clean carpets, soft and hard furniture. The eggs of the moth larvae are loosely attached to the fibers and fibers of carpets and clothes, therefore, by vacuuming or shaking out these objects, we can quite easily get rid of the clutches of eggs of insect pests.
We dry and ventilate all things at least four times a year. Fresh air and bright sunlight are harmful to wool moths. We clean and wash winter clothes, pillows and blankets before storage.
Do not forget that spots of dirt, grease or sweat are a favorite delicacy of caterpillars of woolen moths; it is from such spots that these pests begin to eat, subsequently eating away fabric or fur along with the dirt.On the shelves and in the section of the wardrobe, we place, as in the case of grain moths, tobacco, citrus peel, sprigs of lavender or geranium, a piece of cotton wool moistened with fir or lavender oil.
We place fumigation preparations in the form of tablets, plates and sections on the upper shelves of wardrobes and wardrobes. The active substances that make up these drugs evaporate and, going down, saturate the air with vapors that scare away moth butterflies. Naphthalene, "Antimol" and "Moleboy" work for six months.
We treat clothes, upholstered furniture and carpets with contact agents in the form of solutions and aerosols. The preparations "Supromit", "Aeroantimol", "Suprosol", "Dichlorvos" and "Neophos" destroy both butterflies and caterpillars and eggs of harmful insects. Contact means against moths are effective for three months.
Flying moth butterflies that cause your "applause" are harmless male insects.
Therefore, while you are chasing them, female butterflies make their way through cracks in furniture and folds of clothes to darkened and secluded places to start laying eggs, from which gluttonous and omnivorous offspring will hatch later. It is better not to allow moths into the apartment, taking preventive measures in advance and regularly. And may this uninvited guest never be in your house!
Source: "globuslife.ru; goodmaster.com.ua"
Moths (Latin Heterocera) are a collective name for relatively small insects from the order Lepidoptera (butterflies (Lepidoptera). An ordinary moth is a small butterfly, the larvae (caterpillars) of which feed on keratin (horny substance) extracted from wool, hairs of fur coats, carpet pile ...
It is because of the keratin nutrition that moths are referred to as keratophages, i.e. organisms that feed on keratin. Eating keratin, the larva leaves behind waste products, thereby spoiling the products. Of course, the moth larva cannot eat the entire fur coat or carpet, but it is not a problem for her to spoil the presentation of the product forever, because one maggot can easily punch a hole through a normal wool or half-wool sweater in just a day!
Caterpillars (larvae) of moths are able to digest not only keratin, but also other difficult soluble substances.Therefore, in addition to keratin, they can also feed on technical felt, which is used for heat and sound insulation, bristles, feathers, fur, leather, dried meat and fish, book bindings, museum collections, etc.
In search of food, moth caterpillars are also able to gnaw their way in materials in which they cannot develop (cotton, silk, synthetic fabrics). The moth goes through several stages in its development: the laying of eggs, from which caterpillars, pupae and, in fact, the moth butterflies themselves are born.
We often see butterflies fluttering around the apartment. The life span of a moth is 1-2 months.
I want to note that you need to fight not so much with butterflies, but with the laid eggs, which they lay and the caterpillars that later appear from them, because it is the caterpillars that cause all the damage to the products. A female moth lays up to 100 eggs at a time.
It is important to know that butterflies moths do not like sunlight and prefer to live in dark and secluded places, for example, in a closet with clothes or in a linen chest of drawers. The hatched larvae (or caterpillars) also prefer not to be seen by humans and live modestly in dark corners, usually in the woolen things themselves, where it is almost impossible to find them.
Or it is possible, but only after they destroy part of the clothes with great appetite to such an extent that it is no longer possible to visually not notice the problem. After the caterpillar has successfully pupated, it magically turns into another moth butterfly, ready to lay its eggs over and over again.
Some types of moths, for example, the clothes moth, in an ordinary city apartment can reproduce all year round!At the moment, the number of moth species according to various sources is about 40 pieces. Some are agricultural pests, others are domestic. The most famous domestic pests are fur moth, clothes moth, furniture moth, grain moth. Among agricultural pests, barley moths, as well as rye, cabbage and apple moths, can be distinguished.
Distinguish:
Insect of shiny clay-yellow color, front wings in front of the middle are often with two small dark spots and with one larger one behind the middle. The lower wings are light gray, with a yellowish sheen, in a span of 15-16 mm. It feeds mainly on clothing made from natural materials.
Caterpillars are white, worm-like, almost naked, with eight very short abdominal legs, with transparent skin through which the contents of the stomach are visible; the head is brown.
The caterpillar attacks mainly furs, lives in a portable case and gnaws all the hair on its way, regardless of whether it eats them or not.
The butterfly is a shiny light yellow color, with a rusty-yellow head and slightly brownish front wings at the base. Allocated to a special genus due to the lack of labial tentacles.
This species, described by the St. Petersburg entomologist Gummel ("Essais Entom.", III, 1823), was later investigated by Radoshkovsky ("Proceedings of the Russian Entom. Society.", III, p. 44 duct.) , and before pupation, they go outside and eat up the winding paths in the furniture cover, while following the direction of the patterns of the matter; pupate on the underside of chairs, sofas, etc., where whole nests of their white, silky cocoons gradually accumulate.
Caterpillar development in winter time lasts about 5 months, and in summer - 2 months. Pupation begins in February. Butterflies fly in March, April and May; fly again in July and August.A silvery-white insect, with a brown variable pattern on the front wings and with a gray abdomen and hind wings, up to 15 mm in span. Butterflies fly twice: in spring and late summer. Each female lays up to one hundred eggs on grain grains: rye, barley, wheat, etc., gluing 1-2 eggs per grain.
The caterpillar connects several grains in a bundle, braiding them with cobwebs, and feeds on them, holding itself among them in a spider web cover, crawling, dragging the entire bundle behind it.
It pupates here in the crevices of floors, walls, etc. It also attacks dried fruits and all kinds of seeds, in addition, it can develop in rotten wood and tinder fungus.
Sometimes also called corn moth. Up to 17 mm span. Light brown, sometimes with dark spots and a longitudinal stripe on the front wings. The hind wings are gray. The labial tentacles are long, rising above the head, like horns; the last segment is shiny, black, hairless. Butterflies fly in June and September.
The first ones lay their eggs on the ears of winter grains (barley, winter wheat, sometimes rye) that are ripening by that time. The caterpillar enters the interior of the grain and gradually eats away all its contents, without touching the outer film, so that the grain looks normal from the outside.
In August, when the bread is already harvested, the caterpillar separates the half of the grain, filled with its excrement, with a longitudinal silky partition, pupates in the clean half.The butterfly flies out of the grain through a small round hole already in the barn or near the stack and again lays its eggs on the surrounding grains. The second generation of caterpillars develops in the same way in barns, and then the next generation of butterflies flies earlier - in March.
If the grains infected by young caterpillars fall into winter crops, then the development of the caterpillar in them does not stop under the ground, but proceeds more slowly and ends in May.
13 mm in span, yellow-brownish, hind wings are whitish, brown at the rim, antennae at the base are black. Flies in Central Russia at the end of summer and lays eggs on wild cereals and winter crops.
The caterpillar feeds on the core of the stem, hibernates here and in the spring continues to eat up the stems, attacking their younger parts under the ear; eaten ears get sick and dry up. Pupates at the end of June in a silky white cocoon between leaves.
15.5 mm in span, front wings are brownish yellow, with oblique brown stripes and along the posterior margin with a white wavy stripe. The hind wings are brownish gray. The head and back are white. Antennae with white rings.
They fly for the first time in the spring. Eggs are laid in heaps on the leaves of various cruciferous plants, rape, horseradish, especially on cabbage and rapeseed.Caterpillars are green, with brown heads, eat young leaves during July, and here at the end of July pupate in trellised cocoons. Butterflies fly for the second time in early August, and during the autumn the second generation of caterpillars develops, which pupate for the winter.
Products heavily affected by moths will have to be thrown away, and those in which there are few insects can be sorted out and dried in the oven, opening its door a little, at a temperature of 60–70 ° C for 15–20 minutes. You can use the microwave for the same purpose.
The cabinet where the food was stored and the moth lived must be washed from the inside with warm soapy water, and then with clean water; grease the grooves and crevices with a brush with table vinegar. Keep the cabinet open until dry.
Sunbathing in insects leads to protein coagulation. Under the influence of direct rays of the bright sun, moth eggs die within an hour. And in very hot summer weather - within 30 minutes. Affected things are treated with dichlorvos-based drugs.
A more radical means of killing moth caterpillars does not yet exist. In addition, dichlorvos is the only sure remedy against the skin. Heat treatment is also detrimental to these harmful insects.
If it is possible to expose the contaminated thing to high temperatures without risk, pest control can be carried out by boiling or steam.Freezing also leads to the death of insects at all stages of development. Eggs and feeding larvae of kozheedov die within 24 hours.
The cheapest option is tablets and briquettes, which are an alloy of naphthalene and camphor. The tablets are traditionally placed at the top of the cabinets. Heavy vapors of naphthalene and camphor descend, preventing moth butterflies from laying eggs on clothing.
These old remedies would be good for everyone, but they are by no means safe for human health, especially in high concentration.
According to the manufacturers, they destroy moths and larvae, scare off carpet bugs and skin beetles. You can count on the combat readiness of the plates within 6 months.
They can be scented with lavender, tangerine and chamomile. Special sections are produced for delicate protection of children's clothes. It is necessary to remove the protective tape and place the section at the top of the cabinet. Antimal action of one section extends to 0.5 cubic meters. m. It will have to be replaced with a new one in 4–6 months.
However, the warnings on the packaging that in a room with an area of up to 15 sq. m. you can use no more than two sections, and the product should be stored separately from food in places inaccessible to children, clearly speak of the toxicity of these repellents. Due to the fact that chemical preparations have different odors, sometimes not very pleasant, I recommend not to purchase such products on spontaneous markets, or from hands.
As well as the means, packaging and name that at least may cause doubts in you, and even more so with incomprehensible inscriptions not in Russian.This is primarily a security measure, because it is unclear how such funds can affect the human body, and so that the fight with pitch does not turn into more serious problems.
Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did not know a more effective remedy for moths than naphthalene. However, as it turned out, it only scares away moth butterflies from clothing, but cannot destroy either eggs or caterpillars. In addition, according to the latest scientific evidence, volatile naphthalene is classified as a possible carcinogen leading to the development of cancer in humans and animals.
Lavender and fir essential oils can be used as natural and safe moth repellents. Bouquets of dry lavender in gauze, tampons soaked in lavender or fir oil will protect items stored in the closet from moths.
The moth does not tolerate the smells of camphor and pieces of cedar wood.
You can also use vinegar to fight moths: Pour a few tablespoons of vinegar into a hot pan, and close the pan in the cabinet.
Just do it carefully so as not to harm yourself and your belongings with the hot frying pan. Feverfew (Caucasian chamomile) powder can help get rid of flying moths. 3-4 grams of this powder are scattered per 1 meter of area. They do not like moth butterflies and the smell of tobacco, pepper, dry orange peels, strawberry soap.
The moth cannot stand the smell of leaves of such houseplants as coleus (also known as "nettle") and geranium. From time to time, fresh leaves of these unpretentious plants are put into the wardrobe to replace the old ones.
However, remember that all herbal remedies are only repellents.They scare away moth butterflies, protecting things from the invasion of insect pests. If the moth has already occupied your closet, putting a bunch of lavender in it is useless. We'll have to resort to chemistry.
All groceries should be stored in tightly closed jars or, in extreme cases, well-tied plastic bags. The larvae cannot stand bright sunlight and fresh air. That is why things that are often "in use" are not afraid of moths.
And winter clothes sent to the closet for the summer need to be taken care of in advance. Caterpillars of moths begin their meal with dirty and sweaty spots, completely eating away the fabric along with the dirt. Therefore, to prevent the appearance of moths, clothes must be cleaned and washed before storage.
After cleaning, fur and woolen items are placed in plastic bags, and fur coats are placed in covers made of thick paper with an antimolytic drug.
Shake things well before packing: the eggs of the moth are not too firmly attached to the fibers of the fabric or fur, so they will fly off.
Here, the larvae of kozheedov and pupae of moths are most concentrated. Adult skin beetles often accumulate in shades or on windows, where they can be easily collected with a vacuum cleaner.
Since moths do not like the smell of cedar, fur coats or other similar products can be hung on hangers made of cedar wood, the smell of which will scare away moths, and things will be saturated with a pleasant fresh scent of wood.
Every housewife is afraid of moths. The appearance of these little moths inevitably foreshadows that soon you will have to say goodbye to your favorite silk blouse, your favorite wool pullover or precious fur. If such a problem arises, the question arises of how to get rid of moths in the house forever with folk remedies, as well as what insect control products the chemical industry offers us. Let's take a closer look at them, among a wide variety of methods, everyone can choose the right one for themselves.
If flying and crawling larvae are seen in the closet, this does not mean that the house is a bad mistress. This insect can appear even in the most well-kept apartment. Where does it come from? It's simple - perhaps the neighbors had the same problem, and they fought with it, the pests were removed through the window, ventilation shaft and staircase, and then they found shelter in a neighboring apartment. But not only this can be the reason for the appearance of these insects.
Before you start a fight, you need to get to know the enemy by sight. This is what an adult butterfly looks like.
The insect can live up to 300 days. Flying butterflies, which are usually found, are the least dangerous for us, although they lay eggs. It is the larvae that bring the greatest harm, which often go unnoticed. Therefore, if you destroyed a flying insect, this does not mean that the problem is solved. Somewhere maggots probably sit and spoil things. In addition, they will soon become adults and multiply even more.
This is what a larva looks like, which causes damage to clothing.
It is very important to start the fight as soon as we see at least one butterfly (a beige winged insect about 9 mm long). To expel an insect forever, it is necessary to destroy it at all stages of development - an adult butterfly, larva and eggs, which are almost invisible. The female lays about 200 eggs, which then become larvae. And the larvae spoil things. The duration of development of the larva depends on the larval environment and the nutritional properties of the material on which it feeds and can last from 35 days to 2.5 years. In good conditions, 4 generations of insects will breed during the year. If we do not fight the intruders, then during this time our favorite sweater or fur coat will disappear before our eyes.
Usually these insects feed on items made of wool, fur, feathers, and leather. However, with the progress of civilization, they have also enriched their menu with fabrics made from blends of synthetic fibers with natural fibers. Today, virtually no tissue is immune to this insect. The insect is especially dangerous for fur products, which it can damage very quickly, so they should be stored in tight plastic bags.
Fortunately, we know effective ways to combat these voracious insects!
There are some simple ways and methods of controlling insects at home. First of all, you need to thoroughly clean all cabinets, dry all things and do not forget to do this regularly.
The scent of lavender effectively repels this harmful butterfly. Pendants, dried flowers or sprays with the aroma of this essential oil plant will be useful not only for prevention, but also in the fight against insects. Lavender sprigs should be where we keep our clothes - usually in closets.
Lemongrass, lemon zest, or lemon pendants will be effective. Also an effective deterrent will be orange peel, the smell of which does not like the gluttonous pest. These insects do not tolerate citrus aromas. Citrus zest bags can be placed at the bottom of the drawers. Therefore, after eating the fruit, do not throw away the peel, it must be dried and put in linen bags. The zest will also scare cats out of closets if they have a habit of climbing in there. Not everyone likes this behavior of pets, so orange peels can help solve two problems at once.
Probably many, when they were children, gathered chestnuts in the park, but not everyone knows that these fruits are effective folk remedies. You just need to put them in the closet.
Clothes that show traces of eggs or larvae should be placed in a plastic bag and then put in the freezer for 3-4 hours. If the furniture is not painted, the places of accumulation of larvae after their removal can be treated with hot air from a hair dryer. After drying, iron the washed items with a hot iron. Temperatures above 40 ° C destroy eggs.
Another tried and tested method is to line the shelves and drawers with newspapers, as insects cannot tolerate the smell of ink.
In addition, small pieces of soap can be placed in cabinets and dressers, preferably with a lavender scent, but ordinary soap, even laundry soap, will do. It is better to cut the soap into small pieces and sprinkle them on the shelves.
Another well-known repellent is marsh rosemary, also called wild rosemary. It emits a clear, pleasant aroma for us, which is not tolerated by an insect. The plant grows in swamps, peat bogs and other wetlands and reaches a height of 1.5 m. In closets, rosemary is used in dried form.
A proven way to combat this insect is to place pieces of fresh resin from the forest, fresh needles or strong-smelling buds in the corners of the cabinet. When doing this, be careful not to stain cabinets and clothing with resin.
You can also buy some ready-made products on sale. It can be:
You can bring the insect into the house with food, such as flour or cereals. It is best to sift these foods as soon as you get home from the store. As a result, the risk can be largely eliminated. But, rarely does anyone resort to such events. It is best to store flour or cereals in an airtight glass container.
It is rather difficult to withdraw it. First, you will have to throw out all the products in which it appeared, and then wipe the shelves with a solution of water with vinegar (in a 1: 1 ratio), with a drop of citrus or clove oil. You can also place a bay leaf or several carnation inflorescences in each cabinet. The cabinets can also be vacuumed.
Store in glass jars followed by cereals, rice, pasta, flour. This solution has not only aesthetic value, but also practical, as it facilitates cleaning in the kitchen. But, of course, the most important thing is that other pests will not start in a closed glass container.
Newly acquired cereals such as rice, flour can be placed in the freezer for several days - if they contain larvae, they will die from the low temperature.
Insects don't like heat. Therefore, to effectively expel them, it is worth using a hair dryer and drying all cabinets. It is best to set it to the highest possible temperature. This will remove all larvae and eggs.
You can also buy special plasters for moths in stores. They are not very aggressive and relatively cheap, while demonstrating high efficiency. The patches will help to lure all the insects to one place and get rid of them effectively. Although they don't look too aesthetically pleasing, they help well.
Additional protection will be provided by a mesh in the ventilation openings and mosquito net on the windows. Preventive measures include keeping the kitchen clean, vacuuming regularly, and cleaning the cupboards.
The moth feeds on the horny substance contained in fur and woolen products, therefore it is called a keratophagous insect. One small maggot takes one day to gnaw a hole in your favorite sweater! However, this insect does not disdain organic matter, so the question is always very relevant.
There are several types of mole depending on taste preferences:
1. Kitchen:
This is what an adult potato moth and its larvae look like, which settle in a potato and feed on its pulp.
2. Room:
Interesting! An adult moth has no mouth, so it doesn't need food. Only the larvae cause harm (what do moth larvae look like and how to get rid of them). Butterflies live no more than a week, but even in such a short time they are able to lay about 150 eggs. Under good conditions (poor ventilation, high humidity and heat), these pests breed almost continuously.
Having found a gray butterfly in your apartment, do not waste time in vain - get down to business right away. This will prevent the moths from breeding and ultimately ruining things or food supplies:
We offer an overview of the most reliable and time-tested recipes that will solve the problem without harm to your own health.
Naphthalene
For a long time, this tool was considered one of the best, but in recent years its popularity has dropped significantly. The reason for this was the large-scale use of naphthalene, which led to the development of resistance (addiction) in most populations. In addition, it turned out that the drug is harmful to human health, as it is carcinogenic and provokes the development of malignant tumors.
Strong smelling spices and plants
Moth, like most insects, cannot stand strong odors, so mint, tansy, tobacco, geranium, chestnuts, eucalyptus, cloves, walnut twigs and lavender can be used to combat it. Tobacco is harvested during the flowering period, tied into bouquets and laid out on window sills and in cabinet shelves. You can also use dry tobacco leaf. It is filled with tissue bags, which are hung in places where pests appear. It is good to grow a pot of geraniums in the kitchen - it will protect your home from the attacks of the kitchen moth. Chestnuts can only be laid out in rooms and cabinets that are well ventilated. Otherwise, they will quickly become moldy.
In addition to plants, most of the well-known spices also have a pungent smell - allspice, cloves, vanilla, etc. To scare away the pest for a long time, put the spices in bags and spread them in the apartment.
Strong-scented soap
Another effective remedy for moths that housewives have been using for a long time. Soap (household or toilet) is laid out in the pockets of outerwear, as well as between things on the shelves. Nice amber and pest protection guaranteed!
Essential oils
Traditional remedy in the fight against indoor insects. Feel free to use esters of lavender, eucalyptus, mint, orange, tangerine, rosemary and geranium. They will protect your home and add flavor to your linen and outerwear. It is enough to put a few drops of ether on a cloth or paper napkin and lay them out in the apartment - where the moth likes to be.
Citrus
All citrus fruits have a very strong odor, which is excellent at repelling pests. Place fresh orange, tangerine, lemon, or grapefruit peels on the shelves of wardrobes and kitchen cabinets. Replace as they dry.
Lemon or orange peel, laid out in cupboards, will help scare and drive it out of your home.
Natural remedies only scare away moths, not kill them. In case of mass infection, they are unlikely to help you - in this case, you should give preference to chemical insecticides.
See more folk remedies (video):
If a mole has flown into your house and you can't catch it, hang some sticky fly traps in your room. After some time, the butterfly will definitely stick to it.
Fighting moths at home cannot do without the use of chemical insecticides. They are represented by sprays and aerosols. The most effective ones are:
Aerosols sprayed in a room or closet kill not only adults, but also larvae. The drugs are easy to use, affordable, and do not require additional preparation. It is necessary to close all windows, wait a few hours, and then thoroughly wash and ventilate the room. Clothes and other textiles must be machine washed. Not only things are subject to processing, but also the wardrobe in which they are stored, as well as carpets and upholstery.
When using sprays, follow the instructions carefully - this will quickly get rid of kitchen and room moths.
Fumigators are simple and long-term remedies for house moth control. Plug the device into an outlet and let it do its job, the principle of which is to heat the plate with insecticide and evaporate the chemical components into the air. In some models, the plates are replaced with a special liquid - both options work equally well. The most famous fumigators are Raid, DiK-3 and Mosquitall.
The fumigator has a small size - about 95 * 60 * 50 mm. The affected area covers up to 30 square meters. m. The device can be placed in any cabinet - an extension cord will help you with this.
Attention! Fumigators have a delayed action - they do not work immediately, but within 3-14 days. This small disadvantage is compensated for by a lower toxicity than, for example, aerosols.
For those who prefer effective and safe ways to kill moths, we recommend using Swissinno traps. In the composition of these devices there are no chemical insecticides, so there can be no talk of harm to health. The trap looks like a house with sticky walls. Attracted by the mouthwatering smell coming from the inside, the butterfly flies in and sticks to the walls. The design is thought out so that the insect can easily find the entrance - it is open from all 4 sides. Using the house is very simple - you just need to glue the device to the degreased surface.
Homemade moth control methods include the use of special sections. They are produced by Raptor and Mosquitall. They have a preventive effect and are designed to repel pests. The sections are attached or suspended plates with different aromas - lavender, chamomile, tangerine, etc. The action of two pieces covers 1⁄2 sq. m. cabinet area. They need to be changed every 4 months.
Advice! Insecticidal sprays, fumigators and sections should be stored separately from food and out of the reach of children.
It is necessary immediately, otherwise it will spoil all food supplies. This requires:
You know how to deal with house moths, but do you know how to prevent re-infection? Prevention measures will help you with this:
