Moth Treatment Guide

About Moths

Australia has thousands of varieties of moths, one being the Hercules moth the largest in the world which can have a wing span of 27 cm. The type of pest moth we deal with in Australia are the clothes moth and the pantry moth.  There are two main species of clothes moth found in Australian homes — the webbing clothes moth and the case-making clothes moth.

Mature moths alone are not actually a problem as they do not eat, it is the larvae which causes much of the damage, eating clothing, carpets and spoiling foodstuffs.

Why are Moths a problem?

Clothes moths like to feed on natural fibres rather than synthetics so an expensive silk dress or shirt would be their perfect meal.  They also like feeding on wool carpets and furniture in dark corners.  They can cause a lot of  damage that may not be noticed until furniture is moved.

The pantry moth  or Indian Meal Moth is prevalent in Australia and as the name suggests you will find them in your pantry, they can often be brought into your home in grain products that may not have been sterilized properly.  They cause food spoilage by laying larvae in webs in your food. These larvae feed on this food and emerge as moths.

Learn how to get rid of moths with this simple guide.

Inspecting for Moths

To inspect for pantry moths check all cereal, dried fruit, pasta and grain for signs of webbing or clumping, use a torch to check dark corners. Detecting moth infestations are quite easy in the pantry as you will notice webbing in the corners of your pantry and also in stored food. You may also notice live larvae in your foodstuffs and may even find dead Moths.

To inspect for a clothes moth infestation, use a torch to check in dark corners and in the folds of clothes as the larvae do not like light.  Check under collars to see if there are any silky nests.  Shaking clothes over white paper may show evidence of old larvae. Obvious damage of carpets or clothing is also a sure sign.

 

Pre-Treatment Measures

Pantry Moth

  • Use air tight containers to hold flour and grains
  • Clean up spills in the pantry 
  • Clean pantry regularly 
  • If you suspect an item may have eggs in it freeze for up to 2 weeks to kill moth eggs

Clothes Moth

  • If in carpet, vacuum carpet and expose to sunlight for a prolonged period of time (for example, if under furniture remove the furniture from the room and leave carpet exposed)
  • Thoroughly clean out cupboard
  • Wash all clothes before returning to cupboard
  • If possible, freeze affected clothes for up to 2 weeks to ensure that moth eggs/larvae have been killed

How to Get Rid of Moths 

Option 1. Mix 25gm of Coopex Residual Insecticide with 2.5L of water for initial treatment, apply to affected area of carpet, particularly around edges and under furniture.

  • Residual control of up to 4 months

Option 2. Apply Sumiblast Crack and Crevice Residual Aerosol to infested storage shelves, drawers and wardrobes. Be sure to remove clothes before treatment.

  • Residual control of up to 3 months

Always read product label prior to use.
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