A distant cousin of the butterfly, moths are highly misunderstood creatures. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 11,000 species of these creatures, and some are fascinatingly beautiful. You’ll find serious diversity when it comes to color, shape, and size, and they offer some real ecological benefits too. They pollinate plants, feed birds and bats, and actually serve as a food source to some people around the world as well. Unfortunately, there’s a darker side to these creatures, and it may be hiding in your closet – clothes moths.
Webbing Clothes Moths
If you’ve ever pulled out your favorite cashmere, wool, or fur out of the closet and found the garment to be full of holes, you’ve already met the webbing clothes moth without knowing it. These secretive little creatures won’t fly through your house at night. You likely won’t meet them under your porch light either.
Instead, they’re so secretive that they hide in your closet and damage your clothes out of the light. It’s not even the adult moths that are the problem. Instead, the adults lay eggs in a secluded spot, like your favorite sweater in the closet, then the larvae emerge a few weeks later and feed on your delicious garment.
Make It Stop!
Worried about that sweater now? Learning how to keep moths out isn’t quite as complex as you might imagine. Start when you pack that sweater away for the hot summer months. Dirty clothes tend to attract moths, so give it a solid wash or have it dry cleaned before you put it away. Vacuum your closet on a regular basis, and check routinely for any signs of a pest infestation. You may also want to store your best stuff in a plastic sweater box or a vacuum sealed garment bag.
If you do start to notice a real problem with clothes moths, removal is as easy as one call to Invader Pest Control.
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