There’s no doubt that moths can be a nuisance. They seem to appear out of nowhere and can quickly infest your home or business. While there are many ways to get rid of moths, traps are one of the most popular methods. In this blog post, we will discuss the best traps for moths and what you need to know before using them. Stay tuned – we’re about to reveal some pretty interesting information!
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Content
- 1 What Are Moths?
- 2 How Moths Reproduce?
- 3 Types of Moth Species
- 4 Pantry Moth
- 5 Moth Infestation Symptoms
- 6 Clothes Moth Infestation Symptoms
- 7 How to Get Rid of Pantry Moths
- 7.1 Step 1 – Check Your Pantry on a Regular Basis.
- 7.2 Step 2 – Inspect Every Food In your Pantry for Moths.
- 7.3 Step 3: Throw Out Any Pantry Moth-infested Food
- 7.4 Step 4: Clean Your Containers
- 7.5 Step 5 – Go Through Your Pantry and Kitchen Cabinets.
- 7.6 Step 6 – Handle Shelf Liners
- 7.7 Step 7 – For Ongoing Protection, Use a Natural Residual Pesticide
- 7.8 Step 8 – Install Pantry Moth Traps to Protect and Monitor
- 7.9 Step 9 – Maintain Constant Vigilance
- 7.10 What Keeps Moths Out of Closets?
- 8 How Moth Traps Work
- 9 How to Set up Moth Traps Successfully to Prevent Infestations
- 10 Best Place to Put Pheromone Lure Traps
- 11 Powerful Clothes Moth Traps
What Are Moths?
Moths and butterflies are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera, which means “scaly-winged.” Thousands of tiny scales overlapping like roof tiles make the patterns and colors of their wings.
In Britain, there are approximately 2,500 species of moths but only about 70 kinds of butterflies. People may believe that there are easy guidelines for distinguishing between moths and butterflies. However none of these “rules” are truly valid, and the majority of the distinctions are myths. Moths and butterflies have significantly more parallels than differences in their fundamental biochemistry.
Because there are so many different types of moths, specialists divide them into two categories: bigger (or macro-) moths and smaller (or micro-) moths. In the United Kingdom, there are around 900 macro-moths. Many micro-moths are quite small, yet a handful of them are larger than the smallest macro-moths!
How Moths Reproduce?
1. Clothes Moth Egg Stage
The egg is the first stage in the life cycle of a moth. Adult female webbing clothes moths and case making clothes moths can lay eggs up to 40-50 at a time after selecting an acceptable nest. That number can sometimes reach 100 eggs. These eggs are not laid all at once, but rather over a few days.
Moth eggs typically hatch in 4-10 days, albeit this is highly dependent on humidity and temperature levels during a given time period.
2. Clothes Moth Larvae Stage
Next after eggs stage is the larvae stage. The larvae stage is the most dangerous for clothes moths. The newly born larvae called tinea pellionella swarm their food sources and munch away, acquiring sustenance that will help them develop. Imagine discovering hundreds of larvae crawling all over your cashmere sweaters and woolen blankets.
And, as you might expect, during clothes moths’ infestation they don’t stop with the infested area until it’s time to turn into a cocoon. However, there is no specific moment when larvae decide to change.
Sometimes it just takes two months. At times, webbing clothes moth larvae will stay in that stage of development for 30 months to 2.5 years. This is why clothes moths can be such a nuisance, as they can survive the cold months by munching on keratin-rich fabric.
3. Clothes Moth Pupal Stage
Larvae pupate when temperatures reach a certain threshold. Because the pupae are normally buried out of sight, in the darker recesses of closets or behind radiators, few people will discover this stage. The pupal stage can take up to 50 days, however adult female Clothes moth or casemaking clothes Moth normally emerge between 8 and 10 days.
Here’s an interesting fact about clothes moth activity: as common clothes moth (and butterflies) metamorphose into their adult stage, specific cells within their bodies get active.
If you see moths flying about, go check for trash or fragments of their cocoons. Webbing cases, from which webbing moths derive their name, are commonly found.
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4. Clothes and Carpet Moth Adult Stage
While mature case-bearing moths and webbing moths are not dangerous in and of themselves, their presence in your house should raise some concerns. Adult female moths, interestingly, cannot eat or drink. Their sole purpose is to locate partners and lay eggs wherever there is sufficient food.
Some adult moths only survive for a week. Others can survive for up to ten months or a year. Female moths die shortly after laying their fertilized eggs, but adult male moths die soon after mating. This is how the breeding cycle takes place in your house.
Types of Moth Species
Clothes Moths
The Common Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella) is another name for the Webbing Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella).
With a golden tint and a length of around half an inch, they are easily identified. Webbing Clothes Moths are most typically spotted flying shortly after pupation, and this is a regular occurrence with warmer weather in Spring. Pupation and the transfer to the next lifecycle stage are triggered by the change from winter to spring. Usually, flying clothing moths are hunting for a partner.
Adult webbing clothing moths become less active as they develop and prefer dark, undisturbed regions, which is exactly where they will lay their eggs – undisturbed and on the animal fiber-based food supply that the larvae will require to live after hatching.
Adult moths, contrary to popular belief, do not consume or cause harm to clothing or fabric. The larvae of the clothes moth are completely responsible for the damage to clothing and carpets, and they spend their whole time eating and seeking for food.
Webbing Clothes Moths
The Common Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella) is another name for the Webbing Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella).
With a golden tint and a length of around half an inch, they are easily identified. Webbing Clothes Moths are most typically spotted flying shortly after pupation, and this is a regular occurrence with warmer weather in Spring. Pupation and the transfer to the next lifecycle stage are triggered by the change from winter to spring. Usually, flying clothing moths are hunting for a partner.
Adult webbing clothing moths become less active as they develop and prefer dark, undisturbed regions, which is exactly where they will lay their eggs – undisturbed and on the animal fiber-based food supply that the larvae will require to live after hatching.
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Case Bearing Clothes Moth
The Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella) is found across North America. Adults are most commonly observed in the summer and early fall, although case-making moths that reside in human houses can be seen all year.
The adults of these little clothes moths are approximately 12 inch long and have mottled brown forewings with one big and a few smaller indistinct black dots. The hindwings are simple pale brown-gray moth. A hairy fringe surrounds both the forewings and the hindwings.
Case building moth larvae feed keratin, similar to webbing clothes moths, and are found in animal-based materials like clothing and household textiles such as carpets and rugs. The Case-Carrying Clothes Moths construct a movable case made of detritus such as fibers and hairs in which they may hide.
Pantry Moth
Pantry moths (also known as Indian meal moths, Meal moths, Flour moths, and Grain moths) are common home pests that breed and lay their eggs in dry, stored food. They usually enter your residence through infested food. Pantry moths hide in food shipments from contaminated warehouses, grain storage facilities, and so on.
Flour moths are pale gray with black wavy stripes on their wings. The larvae are black in the head and off-white in the body. The coloration of certain flour moth larvae is pink. They may reach a size of 12 like Indian meal moth larvae. Flour moths, despite their name, do not only consume flour. They’ll consume a variety of foods from your cupboard, including grains and beans
Grain moths often infest food products before entering households. Larvae grow to be around 1/8 in size. They have a yellowish-brown head and a white body with a yellow hue.
Indian meal moths have gray wings with brown spots on the outer edges. Larvae are white with a brown head and reach a length of around 12 inches.
Moth Infestation Symptoms
Although various moth species seem and behave differently, there are certain underlying signals that you have a problem. Keep an eye out for the following:
- Clothing with irregular holes
- Excessively shed fur clothes and accessories
- Moths fluttering about or creeping on household goods and pet food
- Silky tunnels or furrows found around or in wool fabric and garments; also found in grains and other dried foods on occasion.
- Crusty stains on carpets, drapes, and clothes
- Tiny, sticky tubes (larva casings) on fabric and carpets or in room/closet corners
Clothes Moth Infestation Symptoms
Most people discover they have a clothes moth problem when they discover holes in their garments that were not previously there. You could also detect larval or case trails in the drawer, as well as adult moths flying around.
Symptoms of Carpet Moth Infestation
Carpet moths, like clothing and pantry moths, are excellent hiders. The difficulty is that you won’t detect the infestation until the majority of the moths have developed into larvae. Because the larvae are gnawing through the fibers, the carpet will seem threadbare. Tubular case traces may also be seen.
If you suspect a carpet moth infestation, search around the darker areas of the carpet or room, such as baseboards or furniture pressed up against a wall.
Carpet moths have moth life cycles that are similar to clothing moths; for more information, read our Carpet Moth Identification Guide. Because larvae can take on the color of the fibers they eat, they may be difficult to detect in colored carpet piles. This requires the use of powerful clothes moth traps.
Pantry Moth Warning Signs
Do you remember the old cartoons when someone walks inside a bare cabinet and a small moth flies out? An infestation is similar in that you will frequently see an adult moth flying around while going to for a midnight cereal snack.
But you might not notice a moth in the kitchen until you discover that the box of cereal has hundreds of writhing white or pink larvae. Clusters of eggs or larvae may also be found in the gloomy corners of the cabinet or pantry.
There are three types of pantry moths: Indian Meal Moth, Mediterranean Flour Moth, and Brown House Moth, yet they all behave similarly. You may apply the same preventive and eradication procedures for each species, regardless of whether one is in your house.
Pantry moths aren’t drawn to the same pheromones as clothing moths, hence their traps are entirely different. This is a widespread misconception among folks dealing with their first moth infestation. The good news is that Moth Prevention Pantry Moth Traps catch all moth species!
How to Get Rid of Pantry Moths
Step 1 – Check Your Pantry on a Regular Basis.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already discovered pantry moths and are wondering, “Why do I have moths in my pantry?” And where do pantry moths originate?
It’s all too common for us to have expired food kept towards the back of overcrowded shelves for extended periods of time.
Checking what you have and changing pantry goods around can quickly ensure that you are not providing a safe, undisturbed habitat for bugs, resulting in moths in the pantry and kitchen cabinets.
Step 2 – Inspect Every Food In your Pantry for Moths.
When you go through your pantry, scrutinize each food container or bag separately to check for use by dates and to see if there are any ‘unwanted visitors’ living inside.
What exactly are you looking for? Pantry moths may be present as flying adults or at early stages of the pantry moth life cycle (eggs and larvae).
Dry pet treats, such as biscuits, are especially vulnerable since they are typically stored in huge bags that are difficult to reseal and keep moths out!
This is why pantry moths are also known as bird seed moths, flour moths, grain moths, wheat moths, food moths, cereal moths, and even rice moths.
Pantry moth larvae are little but much easier to spot than food moth eggs; they’ll be between 14 and 12 inch long and may wander about in the food.
The presence of open food containers in which pantry moths can deposit their eggs attracts them. If food isn’t disturbed and moved about on a regular basis, the flying pantry moth may go unnoticed, allowing for successful breeding, with eggs growing into pantry moth pupae or larvae and then onto their adult flying form.
Step 3: Throw Out Any Pantry Moth-infested Food
Foods that are out of date and/or infected in their original container should be discarded. This is the procedure of removing pantry moths. Similar meals in reusable containers should be disposed of with caution, and the container should be kept for cleaning.
Even if you have stored your food in mason jars or kilner jars, it is important to check to see whether they were returned to the pantry or closet with the lid not entirely secured, allowing those pesky cupboard moths to get in. If this was the case, you may have left a possible source of meal moth infestation in situ!
Also, inspect dry pet food and bird seed for moths, as these are major causes of pantry moth infestations.
To minimize spillage and possible re-infestations, dispose of contaminated food outside the home – store infested and old food in bags that are tightly knotted. Getting rid of contaminated food means you’re on your way to eliminating meal moths, but we’re only halfway there in terms of eliminating pantry moths for good.
Step 4: Clean Your Containers
Rinse, disinfect, and thoroughly wash reusable food storage containers by hand or in your dishwasher on a hot setting.
If you’re wondering how to eliminate pantry moth larvae and eggs, a thorough cleaning of containers with hot soapy water can remove any pests that is in the goods. After cleaning make sure to dry them and close them before you place them back inside the storage.
This is a critical stage in pantry moth elimination that should not be overlooked. Pantry moth eggs are small and often overlooked by humans. Consistent cleaning of reusable containers prevent pantry moth from infesting your kitchen in the future.
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Step 5 – Go Through Your Pantry and Kitchen Cabinets.
Begin by cleaning all surfaces and paying special attention to evidence of moths in cabinet corners, gaps, and crevices. Then clear it from food and containers. Please keep the undersides of shelves, baseboards, and floors in mind.
Adult flying pantry moths are simple to notice in kitchen cupboards, but pantry moth eggs are more difficult to find. Getting rid of moths in kitchen cupboards also includes removing their eggs!
Like with food, empty your vacuum cleaner outside the house, into a bag that you then shut or knot tightly. Remember that there might be microscopic pantry moth eggs in the dust, as well as moth webbing, cast off skins, and pantry moth cocoon carcasses.
When emptying your vacuum, remember to wash out the dust container if it is a bagless model. If you utilize smaller attachments, you should carefully clean these as well to ensure that no sticky pantry moth eggs remain.
Then, using a disinfectant or watered-down bleach, clean your shelf and any surfaces and allow them to air dry.
What commonly causes pantry moths to reappear is a lack of comprehensive cleaning at this point – therefore invest in conducting this thorough clean and you’ll likely just need to do it once – rather than wondering why there are moths in my pantry again a few weeks later.
Step 6 – Handle Shelf Liners
Throw aside paper-based shelf liners because they may store pantry moth larvae and/or eggs and so serve as a permanent pantry moth nest.
If they are plastic, clean and scrub them properly with soapy water. It’s best to wait until your pantry moth elimination is complete before replacing your shelf liners, or to avoid using them altogether.
You can make use of them after several months of being moth free.
Step 7 – For Ongoing Protection, Use a Natural Residual Pesticide
Residual pesticides occur in a variety of forms, but they are generally either chemical or natural. In kitchens, consider only natural residual sprays for pantry moths.
Natural sprays for pantry moths and pantry moth larvae or maggots are effective for two weeks after application. You may consider a natural solution to get rid of pantry moths while keeping your family safe from toxins.
Cover all surfaces evenly and set aside to dry. It will dry clear and give continued protection against any surviving pantry moths that come into touch with it at any point of their life cycle while being safe for humans.
It is a good idea to remove baseboards, vacuum behind them (understanding units). Then apply the spray after replacing the baseboards. This amount of thoroughness is required to get rid of pantry moths and prevent them from returning.
Step 8 – Install Pantry Moth Traps to Protect and Monitor
The Pantry Moth larvae will consume your dried goods, pet meals, and birdseed. Adult (flying) clothing moths only survive about a month, cannot feed, and their primary purpose is to mate – females deposit over 200 eggs during that period.
Our traps attract male moths that believe they scent a female but become trapped on our sticky pheromone board. By removing the male moths from the breeding cycle, our traps gradually reduce the population over time.
The quality of the pheromones is important to the effectiveness of capturing moths for monitoring activity and, eventually, halting the infestation of your food. Flour Moths Pheromone Traps are exceptionally efficient due to the intense Moth Pheromones.
What to Look For in Our Pantry Moth Traps
Your pantry moth traps should begin collecting male moths within a day or two, but if there are moth larvae present that pupate into a new cycle of adult moths, it will take time to diminish the population. This may be a lengthy procedure that takes several months.
Pantry Moth Traps are an excellent place to start since they provide a clear picture of how serious the infestation is and whether you are finding results (a lower daily capture rate over time is good news!). If the infestation persists, you might want to use one of our Pantry Moth Killer kits to deal with the larvae stage as well (our kits include traps).
Step 9 – Maintain Constant Vigilance
“Once bitten, twice shy,” as they say… Maintain your pantry and food closets by remaining vigilant and using some of the tips provided above.
More specifically:
- Inspect food items in your pantry contents on a regular basis for out-of-date goods and to ensure there are no undisturbed areas.
- Store foods in sealed containers.
- Clean shelves and vacuum on a regular basis.
- Use pantry moth traps and pantry moth control solutions to monitor, especially during the warmer months – pantry moths pupate and grow into flying adults in the early spring season – female pantry moths lay up to 200 eggs and can have 2 to 4 breeding cycles each year
What Keeps Moths Out of Closets?
Moths like your wardrobe because of the excellent food supply contained within it. This will keep their larvae happy until it is time to pupate. Wool, silk, and other animal-based fabrics are at risk.
Because moths are always looking for food for their progeny, the best approach to keep them out of closets is to make the atmosphere as unpleasant as possible. You may prevent moths from putting their eggs on your clothes by doing the following:
- Store clothes in garment bags or airtight containers. Clothes should be clean before storing.
- Spray natural moth repellent inside the closet.
- Use Clothes Moth Traps, which attract adult male moths with intense female pheromones.
- Moths pests like dark, undisturbed regions for extended periods of time, such as the back of your closet. Keeping your closet moth-free necessitates a few actions and countermeasures, such as drying out your clothes on a regular basis, dusting and vacuuming up dirt, employing pheromone Moth Traps, and applying natural repellents throughout the space.
- Moth pests dislike lavender, cloves, and cedar. Hence, keep some sachets or potpourri in your closet, or use a non-toxic spray on clothes.
How Moth Traps Work
For moth prevention, clothing moth traps operate by attracting adult male textile moths in your house to the pheromone incorporated in the adhesive strip. Traps are pesticide free. They are fully non-toxic, natural, and safe for you, your family, and your house.
Males become caught on the sticky strip, reducing their ability to successfully seek out females. As a consequence, there are fewer new eggs, pests, larvae, and lesser moth problems!
Moth traps stay active for three months after using the trap. This allows you to lure and trap more moths and have a significant influence on the moth population in your house. While also monitoring activity over a lengthy period of time.
You may replace traps with sticky glue after three months for continuous monitoring and removal of pests.
How to Set up Moth Traps Successfully to Prevent Infestations
- Put together the Moth Trap Box
- Remove protective paper Cover to expose the sticky surface .
- Remove the Pheromone Board’s Back Cover.
- Place the Pheromones Board in the Box and let the pheromone infuse in the air through the small holes.
- Place two straps in the infected area.
Your pheromone traps will aid you in two ways:
The trap helps increase catch rate and therefore eliminate the male moths from the breeding cycle, decreasing the rate at which the moths can produce the following generation.
They will allow you to track the number of moths collected on your traps over time. Keep a record of moths over time. This can help you determine if your infestation is expanding, staying the same, or, ideally, declining. Anything else than decrease indicates that extra cleaning or inquiry is required.
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Best Place to Put Pheromone Lure Traps
Clothes moths and carpet moths are sensitive to particular settings. To ensure that your traps operate as well as possible, consider the following factors while putting them:
Place traps about 3-6 feet high wherever feasible. This is the male moth’s flying height.
Place traps in ‘calm’ regions. Moths are in places where they will not be disturb. Placing traps in ‘low traffic’ areas of your home increases your chances of catching moths.
Keep traps away from bright light and drafts. Moths are nocturnal and like dark, calm regions, which is where your trap should be!
Keep ‘Attracting’ Moth Traps away from any moth ‘repellent’ you may have to avoid canceling out their efficacy. Moth repellents include lavender sachets and cedar wood.
When putting traps on a rail in a closet, make sure the closet is not congested with clothes. There should be enough space within the closet for air to move freely, allowing the pheromone lure from the pheromone trap to circulate and attract the moths.
Powerful Clothes Moth Traps
Moth problems can be a headache to all of us. The traps that work the best are pheromone traps, which lure in male moths with a scent. These traps are available commercially or made at home.
Another type of trap that is effective is a light trap. Light attracts moth and will fly towards it. You can buy a commercial light trap or make your own using a bright lamp and some cardboard.
The third type of trap is the sticky glue trap. This involves coating something like cardstock with an adhesive substance such as Tanglefoot or Sticky Pest Strip. Insects get into the adhesive when they land on it, and eventually die.
Whichever type of trap you use, place them in an infested area. When placed inside the cabinet, make sure there is enough
There are lots of Moth traps in the market such as Trappify Ultimate Pantry and Clothes Moth Traps. A lot of satisfied customers provide positive product reviews on it and advise other to use this product to trap pests, specifically moths. They are odor free, non toxic, made of all natural products and environmentally friendly.
Unlike other traps, the glue strip of these pheromones lure targets only moths and avoid attracting other species of insects hence considered safe for the environment.
