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How do you recognize the larvae and moths of the clothes moth? How to successfully fight the clothes-eating moths? Our tips against clothes moths in the apartment.

An unwelcome guest in the closet: the clothes moth

There is hardly anything more annoying in your closet than small holes in your favorite sweater. The reason for this can be annoying clothes moths that have made their way into your closet. Clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) are butterflies that belong to the moth family Tineidae. They can be found all over the world, infesting and damaging a wide variety of textiles. However, the adult clothes moths do not make holes in our clothes, rather it is the larvae of this moth that damage our dearest items. Here's everything you need to know about these unloved moths, from what they look like to how to combat them.

How to recognize clothes moths

In order to be able to recognize clothes moths, it is first of all important to know what the pests look like. You can also find out below how moths develop and what they primarily feed on.

Identifying moths and larvae of clothes moths

Clothes moths are rather inconspicuous little animals and are not particularly noticeable. The adult specimens have a wingspan of 10 to 15 mm; the wings are ciliated and shiny. The color of moths depends on what they eat and can therefore vary from dark brown to light yellow.

Fur moths can also cause holes in clothing, but how to combat them is the same

Moth traps are a simple method for quickly detecting a clothes moth infestation. The pheromones - for example in our Plantura clothes moth traps - are based on the attractants that female clothes moths secrete to attract males. This enables easy identification. Nevertheless, pheromone traps are not suitable for combating clothes moths as they do not catch every single male and the moths can therefore still reproduce. Through early infestation detectionHowever, moth traps offer the ideal basis for successful control. The use of our Plantura clothes moth traps is very simple: They can be hung up, set up or even attached to the underside of shelves with adhesive dots. The trap will now attract male moths for the next three months. Only then does its effect wear off and it should be replaced.

Tip: Our Plantura clothes moth traps are also effective against the rare fur moth, which also causes damage to textiles. It is darker in color than clothes moths and has diffuse dark spots on the forewings. She's also more likely to be in cool places like the attic or closet.

The flight season of clothes moths is between May and September. Meanwhile, a female can lay up to 250 eggs, from which yellowish-white larvae hatch after about two weeks. The development of the larvae to the adult clothes moth takes about 60 days. The optimal development conditions are given at temperatures around 24 °C and a humidity of 75 %. If the environmental conditions deviate significantly from these values, the development of the clothes moths can last longer. The active time of clothes moths in nature is therefore limited to the warmer months from May to September. In heated houses or apartments, however, the pests can also occur all year round. Usually the larvae live in the nests of mammals or birds. There they feed on the animals' hair and feathers, which contain the fibrous protein keratin, which the larvae need for development.

Clothes moth larvae cause damage to our clothes

With the use of animal hair for the production of textiles, humans also became a focal point for clothes moths and a well-stocked wardrobe with pieces of wool or fur made a nice home for the little pests. But synthetic fibers are not spared either - these are only eaten and excreted, however, since the larvae cannot digest the artificial substances. Moth larvae also like to infest clothing that still has hair and dander attached to it. In addition, the pests are not limited to closets, which is why moths can also pose a threat to carpets and insulation.

Note: Clothes moths can even infest cars. You can read more about this in our special article on moths in the car.

This is how you recognize itHarmful image of the clothes moth

You can recognize the damage caused by the clothes moth larvae by eating bare spots and holes in clothing and other textiles such as curtains, carpets or upholstered furniture. The clothes moths prefer textiles made of wool, fur or feathers. When they come across mixed fabrics, for example, they only go after the wool content. But even clothing made of synthetic materials is not safe from the little pests. Holes can also be eaten into these, even if the larvae cannot process the material and excrete it undigested.

Clothes moths cause bare patches and holes in textiles

In the case of an infestation with clothes moths, fine webs - similar to a spider's web - and droppings from the larvae can sometimes also be found. These crumbs are very differently shaped and usually have the color of the affected piece of textile. The larvae of the fur moth can also be recognized by the fact that they install themselves in a protective quiver that they carry around with them. Only the head and the front feet stick out of this.

The larvae of fur moths pupate into protective cocoons while they are still active

Prevention of clothes moths

To avoid problems with clothes moths in the first place, we have put together a few tips and tricks for you on how to prevent such an infestation.

  • Insect screens: First of all, you can put insect screens on the windows of your bedroom or closet so that the annoying moths cannot easily enter your living space. You can also protect your clothes with laundry bags. However, this method makes more sense for items that will be stored longer - perfect for winter clothes that you store away over the summer.
  • Vacuum cleaning: It is also advisable to vacuum regularly to prevent small pests from settling there. But be warned: the moth nest can also be in the vacuum cleaner bag, as the larvae prefer quiet, dark places. Therefore, change the bag regularly.
  • Mothballs: A classic way of preventing clothes moths is the well-tried mothball. This keeps the insects away with deterrent substances such as naphthalene. However, most of us will be familiar with the pungent smell of grandmother's chests for winter clothing and this is certainly not something to aspire to. And even if today'sMothballs contain the less intensely smelling paradichlorobenzene, both of which are potentially hazardous to the environment and human he alth.
  • Natural alternatives: Essential oils and woods such as stone pine, cedar and neem tree represent a more natural and significantly more pleasant alternative. Another effective plant is lavender, which is particularly easy to pack in scented sachets and put in closets and dressers.
Scented sachets can keep clothes moths away

Prevent clothes moths summary:

  • Attach insect screen
  • Use Garment Bags
  • Vacuum regularly and change vacuum cleaner bags
  • Use mothballs or moth hangers
  • Use essential oils, scented sachets and woods with lavender, stone pine, cedar or neem

If moths have already established themselves in the closet, you should think about how you want to fight the moths. Do you prefer to use household remedies, beneficial insects or chemical control methods? Below you will find various approaches that you can use individually or in combination to combat clothes moths.

Chemical control of clothes moths

The chemical control methods primarily include various moth sprays or normal insect sprays that contain active ingredients from the pyrethrin group. However, caution should be exercised with such remedies, since pyrethrins are neurotoxins which can at least cause irritation and which is why one would rather not have them in the house, in the closet or even in the children's room.

Fight clothes moths naturally

Sustainable alternatives to questionable chemical clubs are beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps or the use of household remedies. Even if pheromone traps like our Plantura clothes moth traps are not sufficient for complete control, as they only attract males and do not eliminate female moths, eggs or larvae, it is worth keeping the traps during control. Because they can be used to monitor the moth population. With the help of the traps, the development of the number of moths can be monitored and the moth-free state can be determined at the end of the fight. The following sections will tell you which methods you can actually use to win the fight against the clothes eaters.

Pheromone traps can be used to detect an infestation early

parasitic wasps against clothes moths

It sounds maybestrange to bring more insects into the closet to fight clothes moths. But parasitic wasps are incredibly useful little creatures that have been used to control pests since the 19th century. Many species of the genus Trichogramma are bred specifically to control various moths, as they are highly specialized and therefore very effective. The parasitic wasps parasitize the clothes moth eggs, preventing them from developing further and dying.

We also use beneficial insects of the genus Trichogramma for our Plantura parasitic wasps against clothes moths, which, as natural antagonists to moths, guarantee biological and sustainable control of clothes moths.

The parasitic wasps are delivered to you on small cards of 2000 each in host eggs. Place these cards in the affected rooms or closets, with one card covering about one square meter or a closed area - such as a closet compartment. After hatching, the little beneficial insects get to work immediately, being very discreet. The small flying insects can hardly be seen with the naked eye and are completely harmless to you, your clothes or pets. At the end of their short life span, the little creatures simply die off, leaving no more dirt than everyday dust.

Tip: After use, we recommend wiping out the affected shelves with a damp cloth and washing the stored clothing if necessary. After that, all traces of the slippery beings are gone.

Six repetitions are necessary for effective combat. This ensures that all current stages of development and any subsequent generations are eliminated once and for all. Our Plantura parasitic wasps against clothes moths should be applied every two weeks. So that you always have fresh parasitic wasps at home at the right time, the required cards will be conveniently delivered to your home in this rhythm. When used correctly, the use of parasitic wasps against moths is an effective and thorough method that you can also use for food moths. You can find out everything about the differences between clothes moths and food moths in our special article.

Home remedies against clothes moths

Because large temperature swings are not ideal for clothes moths and their offspring, you can use fabrics that don't feel soeasy to wash - such as upholstery - treat with it. Heat treatment in the oven at 50 to 60°C for about an hour can kill the moths, larvae and eggs. However, be extremely careful with this method and do not leave the kitchen while doing so, since a piece of cloth in the oven always poses a fire hazard.

Alternatively, you can also place the textiles in the blazing sun and also cover them with black foil. This method also works for larger pieces, such as rugs. However, only use very warm days to guarantee sufficiently high temperatures and leave the pieces outside for several hours.

Another safer method is cold treatment, but this is often not as effective as heat treatment. However, since hot washing is not an option for woolen garments, which would otherwise become very matted, you can place the garments in the freezer for at least a week to kill hidden clothes moth larvae. This method is also suitable for other textiles. However, you should repeat this process over several weeks so that all larvae and eggs are killed.

Wool clothing can be put in the freezer for a few days to combat moths

Clothes moth control summary:

  • Chemical control with moth sprays (beware of toxic ingredients!)
  • Effective and biological elimination by Trichogramma parasitic wasps
  • Heat or cold treatment of affected garments

Another pest that likes to show up in our homes and is very similar to the clothes moth is the food moth. You can find out how to fight food moths and also use parasitic wasps in our dedicated special article.

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