Moths!

[radger]

Yet again we have a plague of the clothes-destroying feckers.

Anyone got any suggestions for ridding ourselves of them? Other than a thorough fumigation of the flat.

 

[snapper_37]

I cannot answer because I hate the vile things..... *shiver*

 

[markg0vbr]

i work in pest control any thing like this i recommend washing all organic clothing at hottest temp on the label, anything delicate can be put in a sealed plastic bag and pop it in the freezer for a month. then use a water bast ant spray active ingredient most common is deltamitherin 0.05%, spray all wardrobes inside and out then all organic carpets. a lot of times clothes moth problems are associated with birds nests.

 

[Dayvo]

You could hold a match or lighter to a spray can and hey presto! you have a miniature flame-thrower!

 

[Dayvo]

Bloody heck, that's a comprehensive first post! Welcome!

Yeah! Just makes you wonder who's lurking out there!

 

[markg0vbr]

it is not so much the temperature as a combination of detergent and water. detergent deg raids the natural wax coating on the insect larval stage, water drowns them. for things like cat fleas hang the cat beading on a hot radiator as this dehydrates the eggs and lave.

 

[radger]

Cheers markgb0vr - the clothes which are obviously harbouring them are in the machine - and I shall get some ant spray tomorrow and force Mr Radger to put his clothes away in future.

I am hoping they're not in the wardrobe with the wool suits and silk dresses - the freezer's full of food!

 

[goo_mason]

I'm plagued by the wee non-clothes-eating moths. Still trying to find where they're coming from. Couple of years ago I found a forgotten box of dried catfood at the back of the kitchen that seemed to be the moth colony. Millions of the little blighters living in it.

I suspect they might be living / breeding inside the hall cupboard door, which is one of those cheap things that seems to have cardboard struts inside it. There were holes cut into it and metal grilles put in by the previous owners as central heating boiler is in the cupboard. They seem to appear in there in large numbers, yet I had the cupboard emptied and stripped out in 2007 when I had a new boiler installed, and found no sign of any moth colonies in there. That's what makes me suspect they're coming out of the door. I'd block the vents with sticky tape to see if I could substantiate this, but I don't want to risk any gas / ventilation problems.

Does the moth expert have any thoughts ?

 

[PaulB]

Why do moths fly with their legs open?


Have you seen the size of mothballs?

 

[markg0vbr]

most comencel (insect that live with man, stord product insects), are brought in via packaging, pot plants, bird nests or make there way in under there power. problems can be sorted out by.

1,remove old stale food and packaging
2,good clean down (the good old vacuum cleaner is a fantastic pest control tool)
3,water based insect killer (ant killer, bug gun, ect) this when applied on clean cervices will be affective for up to a month and once dry is very safe for kids, pets.
4,prevention, start at one corner of the house on hands and knees go all the way around if you can fit your ickle finger in a hole a mouse will get in, three fingers a rat. have a look in the loft, clean out birds nest's. rotate stock yes those old packets of dry food at the back of the cuboard are vermin hotels.


over the next week or two look out for solitary bees ( masonry bees, mining bees) they only live in your outside walls for two or three weeks and they are harmless cant sting please do not kill them. one solitary bee can pollinate as meny plants as one hundred honey bees. watch the program about bees bbc4 Thursday 9pm, bees are important and they are disappearing at an alarming rate.

 

[rich p]

if you can fit your ickle finger in a hole a mouse will get in, three fingers a rat.

Bloody hell, I'd better alert Mrs rich p

 

[goo_mason]

most comencel (insect that live with man, stord product insects), are brought in via packaging, pot plants, bird nests or make there way in under there power. problems can be sorted out by.

1,remove old stale food and packaging
2,good clean down (the good old vacuum cleaner is a fantastic pest control tool)
3,water based insect killer (ant killer, bug gun, ect) this when applied on clean cervices will be affective for up to a month and once dry is very safe for kids, pets.
4,prevention, start at one corner of the house on hands and knees go all the way around if you can fit your ickle finger in a hole a mouse will get in, three fingers a rat. have a look in the loft, clean out birds nest's. rotate stock yes those old packets of dry food at the back of the cuboard are vermin hotels.


over the next week or two look out for solitary bees ( masonry bees, mining bees) they only live in your outside walls for two or three weeks and they are harmless cant sting please do not kill them. one solitary bee can pollinate as meny plants as one hundred honey bees. watch the program about bees bbc4 Thursday 9pm, bees are important and they are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Good stuff Mark.

My only issue has been house moths for the last few years. Have you ever found them living inside hollow doors ? And can they live on cellulose alone (paper / cardboard) ?

 

[markg0vbr]

yes as they say build it and they will come. in the animal kingdom anything that was once alive or organic something ells will eat it. Evan wallpaper paste. i have a lot of problems with Beatles and fleas in empty houses when the tenant had pets, they get down the cracks in floor boards and are a pain to shift. i use every thing from steam cleaners, insecticide fog and a size 10 work boot.

 

[Maz]

markg0vbr...any advice on getting rid of woodlice? Find the odd 1 or 2 each morning in the laundry room scuttling around. I hate the little b@stards.

 

[markg0vbr]

wood lice are a cousin of the crab family they need it moist, ventilation, remove any damp wood. again water based ant spray is your Friend.