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MOTHS
The Clothes & Carpet Moth Has NOT
Been Eliminated!
In past years, textile-eating moths were common due to the large amount of wool fibers in clothing and home furnishings. The popularity and widespread use of synthetic fibers has led to the incorrect assumption that damage from these insects is a thing of the past.
Clothes & Carpet moths can digest protein fibers such as wool, silk, and specialty hair fibers, but these insects will also find and eat protein substances on synthetic fibers.
This means carpets, rugs, draperies, and upholstery made from nylon, acrylic, polyester, acetate, and other synthetics can harbor these insects if they contain food or beverage stains, blood, urine, perspiration or other sources of nutritional protein.
HOW TO PREVENT MOTHS
The most effective way to prevent an infestation of moths and inhibit growth is to keep textile furnishings clean. Spills should be removed as soon as possible. Carpet, rugs, draperies, upholstery, etc., should be brushed or vacuumed regularly as insects do not generally attack clean materials.
Regular dry cleaning of articles appropriate for dry cleaning will also decrease the chances of infestation because dry cleaning solvent is toxic to most textile pests. Regular carpet and rug cleaning will remove the nutritional contaminants that can attract and support insects.
MOTHS-WHAT ARE THEY?
There are 2 different types of these moth pests that we need to be concerned about. Both are types of clothes moths, the insect that eats our textiles.
The Webbing Moth (Tineola bisselliella). The adult moths of this species are about a half inch long and yellowish beige in color.
The Casemaking Moth (Tinea pellionella). Casemaking moths are similar in size but are brownish and have three dark spots on their forward wings.
THE LARVAE OF THE MOTHS CAUSES THE DAMAGE
The adult moths themselves cause no damage, but the larvae (the wormlike active immature form of the insect) they produce are very damaging. It is the larvae that actually feed on wool.
Each larva spins a silken tube that acts like a barrier of protection. The webbing moth larvae attach their tubes to dark crevices or seams, rendering themselves stationary to feed in one location. The casemaking moth larvae do not attach their tubes or 'cases' which allows them to remain mobile and cause a wider spectrum of damage.
THE LIFE CYCLE OF MOTHS
The life cycle of moths can last from two months to two and a half years. The adults lay eggs on products that the larvae will consume.
Each female can lay from 100 to 150 eggs, which hatch in about five days. The small white caterpillar larvae vary in size from 1/16 inch newly hatched to 1/3 inch fully grown.
The larval stage itself can last from 2-30 months. The great variance in the life cycle is due to the presence or absence of food. That is why these creatures can be so devastating to rugs. Rugs provide a huge source of food. If gone unnoticed, the larvae can feed for almost two and a half years! An infestation of only several weeks can result in pile loss the size of a fist.
WHERE TO FIND MOTHS
Clothes moths thrive in dark, undisturbed areas where a rug gets little traffic and is not often vacuumed. They are particularly attracted to the keratin in animal hair. The wool alone in an oriental rug is susceptible but just imagine a dirty rug covered in dog and cat hair. That would be like a smorgasbord to this creature!
Moths can feed on mixtures of natural and synthetic fabrics. However, they cannot feed on materials made solely of synthetic fibers. As mentioned above, they can be found in synthetic fibers which have pollen, hair, dead insects, and dried animal remains on them.
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE HARBORING MOTHS?
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The actual flying adults. When a lot of flying adults are present the infestation can be considerable.
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Loose carpet fibers resting on top of the pile. This results from the larvae actually eating the knots off the foundation of the rug.
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Cocoons—1/8 inch diameter x one-half inch long. They will be slightly fuzzy cylinders, usually the same color as the rug’s pile. (Larvae camouflage their cocoons to blend in with the color of the wool that surrounds them).
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The actual larvae squirming along the pile surface and underneath the rug.
An interesting fact about clothes moths is that unlike other varieties, they are not attracted to bright lights and tend to seek darker areas or dim light. This makes it very difficult to detect them in dark closets and drawers. It is most likely that you will notice fabric damage or larvae before you see the moths themselves.
HOW DO WE GET RID OF MOTHS?
Please continue reading here for the answer to the above question and how ABC can help.
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