An effective remedy for food moths. Food moth: photo, where it comes from and how to get rid of it

Have you got a food moth in your kitchen, and are you already desperate to get it out? You don't need to be upset about this. So that you can kick her out without resorting to special services, let's figure out how to get rid of food moth in the kitchen.

In order to effectively deal with the introduced pest, it is extremely important to know what the moth looks like and how to understand that it has started up in your home. Adults of this species are small butterflies of a dark red or grayish color, which accumulate near light bulbs, and also live on cabinets in which cereals and other dry foods are stored. As for the larvae of this species, they are small pink caterpillars, which are also most often found on kitchen cabinets. If you have noticed in your home the appearance of such insects that were not there before, you can be sure that you have got a real food moth.

If you do not see the insects themselves in the house, but you think that they are in your apartment, you should take a closer look at the products that they most often damage. Traces of the habitat of such pests in food can be:

• Grains glued into lumps. Such lumps are made only by a kitchen moth.
• shallow winding passages, which can appear both on the surface of fruits and on the skin of vegetables.
• Grayish coating on food.
• The appearance of small pellets at the bottom of the jars in which you store food.

If you find any of these signs of pests in your home, you need to start dealing with them immediately. First you need to disassemble all the products, find out which ones are normal, and in which the pest has already appeared, throw away everything spoiled, wash the cabinets, and then treat it with compounds against butterflies and larvae. Fortunately, this is not difficult, because today there are a lot of ways to get rid of moths in the kitchen. Let's look at them in more detail.

Method 1 - anti-moth sections

If your apartment is heavily infested with such pests, you can use a special food moth remedy. Now on sale are many effective and safe substances for humans that allow you to fight this insect, in the form of sections. These are:

• Raptor. This is an insect section that will need to be placed in places where pests are most concentrated. This drug allows you to get rid of not only adults, but even larvae. The presented tool has a long-term effect: it protects the apartment from moths for several months.
• Mosquitall. Another kind of anti-moth sections. They are quite effective against adults, but the house is poorly protected from larvae. It is for this reason that they are recommended to be used mainly as a prophylactic.
• Globol. These are sections of a longer action, which retain their effectiveness for 6 months. They are the most effective in pest control.

Advice:

you can use the butterfly and grub sections at the same time as other moth control products in the kitchen. So you can achieve best results in short time.

Method 2 - tablets and cassettes

Another effective way to get rid of moths forever is repellant. Substances of this type repel moths and prevent the pest from laying larvae in your home. It is for this reason that they can be used both to combat an existing colony of pests and to prevent their occurrence.

• Antimol. These are special moth tablets that must be spread out in places where larvae and adults accumulate, as shown in the photo. In just a few weeks, they will allow you to get rid of them.
• Prayer. These are special plates against moths. It is recommended to use them in the kitchen next to cabinets that store cereals, sugar and other similar products.
• Phytocide. These are anti-moth cassettes that have the same principle of action as tablets. They are considered the easiest to use.

Important:

when choosing such means to combat a food pest, it is very important to carefully study its composition. The most important thing is to avoid those drugs that include naphthalene. It has carcinogenic properties and should not be placed near food.

Method 3 - aerosols

This is the most simple means, allowing at home to quickly get rid of adult pests. To get rid of insects, it is enough to spray them on surfaces. The tool will instantly kill butterflies, and then rid your house of larvae in a few days. Long-acting aerosols correct application will allow you to protect your home from invading pests for several months.

There are many such drugs on the market today. The most famous and effective of them are currently considered Armol, Reid, Kombat.

Method 4 - essential oils

Lavender and fir oil are more affordable folk remedies against moths. Using them is very simple: you just need to take ordinary cotton pads, soak them with these oils and spread them in those places where pests are usually the most. Such discs will need to be changed from time to time so that the tool does not lose its effectiveness.

Advice:

Do not use these folk remedies if you have allergies in the house. Be aware that essential oils can cause acute attacks in such people.

Method 5 - cleaning furniture with vinegar

How to deal with food moths without the use of special insecticides? You can do this with ordinary table vinegar. In this case, you need to act like this:

1. To begin with, you will need to empty all the cabinets in which you store dry products and process them carefully. soapy water giving Special attention hard-to-reach places. The cereals themselves and other products must be well sorted out so that they do not contain pests.
2. Then you will need to remove the remaining soap solution from the walls of the cabinet and treat the surfaces with vinegar.
3. After that, it remains only to wait until the vinegar is completely dry, and you can return the food back to the locker.

Video: how to get rid of moths with vinegar:

Important:

this remedy will only work if there are no other moth foci in your apartment. If you suspect that you still have them, it is recommended to find them and be sure to carry out the appropriate processing there as well.

Method 6 - garlic

If you're worried about food moth larvae in your food, use garlic to keep them away. Applying it is quite simple: you will need to take a few cloves of this product and place them in the places where you store groceries. The heads of garlic will be very effective at repelling insects. You only need to make sure that they do not deteriorate, and change them if necessary.

Important:

no need to be afraid that the smell of garlic will pass to other foods. This way of dealing with moths will not affect your products in any way.

Method 7 - wormwood

How to get rid of pests without organizing cleaning? This can be done with the help of ordinary wormwood. You need to take her bushes and place them in those cabinets where you store food. The bitter smell of this grass will not allow pests to enter these cabinets and lay larvae there.

Important:

this remedy is best used if you brought food from the store into the house and found moths in them. It is the easiest to use and gives instant results.

Method 8 - walnut leaves

You can fight these pests with the help of ordinary leaves. walnut. This is not difficult to do: you just need to lay them out in the corners of those lockers where butterflies and larvae can live. If their colony was not numerous, you will be able to get rid of them in just a few days using this tool.

Advice:

if you have a large enough pest colony, this step will not help you. In such cases, it is recommended to use special preparations, and after that, use a similar folk remedy already for the purpose of prevention.

Method 9 - tobacco

Like wormwood, this smell is extremely unpleasant for pests. How to quickly get rid of insects with it? Everything is very simple: you just need to put the tobacco in the cabinets and leave it there for several months. Even if the kitchen moth has already managed to lay eggs in these lockers, the hatched larvae will leave them very quickly and will not return to such places in the future.

Video: how to get rid of moths with the help of tobacco and other means?

Important:

remember that only chewing tobacco can be used for this purpose High Quality. The same material that is used in conventional cigarettes may not be suitable for this purpose, so you should not experiment with it.

Method 10 - strong odors

If you don’t have anything on hand that could get rid of moths, you can use ordinary perfumes. The thing is that strong smells can scare away butterflies, and they will not breed in your closet. To use such a remedy, you will need to sort through the products, remove all contaminated cereals and other types of food that may contain eggs or larvae, and then wash the closet and sprinkle it with perfume.

Advice:

for this purpose, it is preferable to use spicy odors. Food moth categorically does not tolerate them.

How to prevent moths

So, you figured out how to permanently get rid of food moths in the kitchen. Now you need to make sure that she never appears in your house again. For this you should:

• Store everything bulk products in glass containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Avoid large food supplies. Keep only the amount of dry food you will need for a week.
• Sort through the potatoes you keep in the kitchen regularly. This measure will prevent the appearance of tuberous moths.
• Do not store long time fruit in open form. If possible, store them in the refrigerator.
• Carefully check all those products that you purchase in the store. You need to remember that you can bring pests into your home by choosing fruits or cereals that are infected with them.

It is also recommended to use folk methods to repel pests in the apartment. So you can protect your home from the appearance of a colony of harmful butterflies and larvae, even if you accidentally bring them there.

In the kitchen - dangerous pest various food products. It multiplies very quickly, spoils various cereals, flour, and can even eat dried fruits, nuts and bread. After infection with it, the products become unfit for consumption, and their complete deterioration occurs quickly enough. About how to get rid of food moth and some of its other species, as well as about important nuances x of this pest control let's talk further.

Urgent measures to get rid of moths in the kitchen

There are many signs of the appearance of moths in the kitchen: these are small brown butterflies under the ceiling and on the walls, cocoons in flour and cereals, and even pinkish caterpillars crawling along the walls of kitchen cabinets. All these signs quite clearly indicate that a food moth has appeared in the house.

In order to quickly and effectively get rid of this pest, it is useful to have an idea about the biology of the food moth and about modern highly effective anti-moth agents. It is important to understand that occasionally running around the kitchen with a slipper and destroying moth butterflies is a very ineffective struggle option that simply creates the appearance of destroying food moths. The main mass of pests (larvae) continues to actively develop in contaminated food products.

On a note

Moth is a generalized name for small butterflies from the Lepidoptera order. They can be divided into insects that spoil food and property in the house, and agricultural pests. Domestic moth, in turn, is divided into species that spoil clothes, and a group of species that affect food. Of course, all these insects are also found in nature, but there they feed on other foods.

In its development, food moth goes through several stages, and in order to get rid of moths in the kitchen, you need to destroy butterflies, larvae, and moth eggs. It should be remembered that there is no seasonality in the reproduction and distribution of moths: it can appear at any time of the year, so you need to get rid of the food moth as soon as possible after its discovery.

It is necessary to start getting rid of the kitchen moth with the larvae. It is they who spoil the products, gluing cereals into small characteristic appearance lumps and leaving winding passages under the surface of fruits and vegetables.

It is interesting

Moth larvae are fairly easy to destroy. In order to get rid of food moths, the first step is to go through all the food supplies in the kitchen, clean the pantry, checking the condition of the most stale stocks.

Small gray pellets at the bottom of packages and cans, glued grains of cereals, covered with a grayish coating, are evidence of a moth infestation of the product. You can get rid of moths in cereals by heating it in the oven or in a pan, or by freezing it for several days in the freezer. To get rid of the cereal moth, it is enough to place the infected product in the cold below minus 10 ° C for 2-3 days, or in heat above + 60 ° C - for 1-1.5 hours. However, if more than 20% of the product is contaminated, it is best to discard it altogether.

It is most expedient to get rid of food moth butterflies in an apartment mechanically. You can just slam flying pests, or you can hang adhesive tapes or special sticky traps where they spread. It is irrational to use insecticidal aerosols in these cases, but with parallel baiting of cockroaches or domestic ants, they will give good result and against the moth.

Thus, it is quite realistic to get rid of a small amount of moths in products by making an audit of food supplies by calcining infected cereals at high temperature or by freezing them.

Destruction of moths in cabinets and furniture

It must be understood that complete disposal of moths in the kitchen is impossible without disinfection and disinfection of the entire pest habitat. Moth eggs can be found in the smallest furniture cavities, and without destroying them, it will be problematic to clean the kitchen from the pest.

To get rid of food moths, you need to know the enemy in person. Below in the photo are varieties of food moths:

• barn moth
• flour moth
• potato moth
• grain moth
• mill moth
• dried fruit flame.

You can get rid of kitchen moths using wide range of special chemicals. In general, they can be divided into liquidation - insecticides containing toxic substances and destroying already existing insects, and repellents - created on a plant basis and repelling new pests. The most common form of release of insecticides are aerosols.

There are many different sprays you can use to get rid of moths in the kitchen. Among the most popular are Raptor from moths, Armol, Antimol and.

Raptor "Moth Protection" is used against moth butterflies and their larvae. Sprayable on furniture, including wood, clothes, carpets, effective for 12 months or until the first wash.

Moth spray Armol has an instant effect against butterflies and a prolonged action against moth larvae. Used to clean and protect furniture and carpets from insects. Valid for 6 months.

Antimol Raid is used on clothes, furs and fabrics of any type, it remains effective for a year or until the first wash.

Aerosol "Combat SuperSpray" has universal action against most flying and crawling pests. It is sprayed in the corners of rooms, at the junction of furniture and in places where insects spread, it is safe for animals.

“Recently, I was horrified to find moths in groats in my kitchen. Where - it is not clear, but the larvae crawl in huge quantities. I decided to get rid of it radically - I washed everything, threw out the spoiled products and sprayed the Raptor with a spray. It turned out that even after my cleaning, insects still remained in some places. Removed and sprayed again. Now I enjoy cleanliness.

Diana, Rostov-on-Don

When using insecticidal agents, it is important not to allow the drugs to come into contact with food!

How to protect things and products from moths and their larvae

The mechanism of action of repellents is that they repel insects and prevent them from laying eggs. Most often, repellents are in the form of tablets, plates and briquettes, some of them may contain naphthalene and camphor.

It should be remembered that naphthalene has pronounced carcinogenic properties, therefore it cannot be used in residential premises, and when choosing a repellent, its composition should be checked. Because of this, their use in the kitchen as a whole is limited and it is undesirable to use them near food.

To get rid of food moths, you can use lavender and fir oils. Cotton pads impregnated with these oils should be laid out in places where the pest appears. And to get rid of cereal moths in the kitchen as a whole, it is worth spreading a few tablets over cabinets or under furniture. The most famous repellents are Antimol and Dezmol tablets, Moleboy plates, Arsenal, Phytocid, Zitol, Gela cassettes.

“My grandmother always laid out bunches of dried lavender in the kitchen from the cereal moth. You can get rid of it, she said, but it's better if it doesn't exist at all. When we moved to new apartment, after a general cleaning, I laid out lavender tablets in different secluded corners and periodically change them. For a year and a half there was not a single moth butterfly in the house.

Anna Melnik, Krasnodar

Sections from the moth

Sections from moths are considered the most rational and effective means of preventive control of moths. They may come in lavender, tangerine, or chamomile scents, or they may not be scented at all.

Generally speaking, sections are meant to protect things in wardrobes, however, they can help get rid of food moths in the kitchen. Being, in fact, a fumigation agent, they release active substances that prevent the reproduction of moths and, in addition, repel adults (butterflies).

Among the well-known brands of moth sections are Raptor, Mosquitall, Globol.

The Raptor moth section is designed to protect woolen and fur products. Helps to get rid of both adult butterflies and moth larvae in the kitchen. Sections should be changed every 4 months.

Mosquitall sections provide comprehensive protection from moth butterflies. They work poorly against larvae and eggs of the pest, it is advisable to use them as a means of prevention. Valid for 6 months.

“I always use Mosquitall sections to protect my clothes. Recently I decided to apply them in the kitchen - there was a case of the appearance of grain moths. It was possible to get rid of it by throwing out all the grits, now I would like to avoid its reappearance. The Mosquitall section has a very convenient shape and a hook with which you can hang it even on the eaves. In addition, the section has a special slider to mark the start of the use time. I hope the kitchen is now as secure as the closet.”

Natalia Korotkova, Novgorod

Globol sections have original design and protect the space from both moth butterflies and caterpillars. In their composition they have natural oil lavender. One section is enough for 6 months.

Folk remedies for moths

In addition to chemicals to combat moths, folk remedies also have a certain effectiveness. These include tobacco leaves, pepper, fresh geranium and nettle, wormwood, mint, orange peel, fresh and dried lavender flowers, laundry soap other.

To repel moths a small amount of natural repellent is usually laid out in depth kitchen cabinets. The smell emanating from these products will scare away the adult moth and prevent it from laying eggs. But folk remedies practically do not work on the larvae of food moths - this must be remembered.

To get rid of the flour moth, folk wisdom recommends sifting the flour, then drying it in the oven, then storing it with a few cloves of garlic. In the fight against moths, you can also use salt.

A folk recipe for getting rid of fruit moths is to rinse the product in salt water. Practice shows that this method works only with a slight degree of contamination of the product.

Moth prevention methods

It is much more effective to prevent the very appearance of moths in the kitchen and in the house than to deal with the results of its vital activity later.

First of all, this concerns food stocks. There is no need to massively store cereals, flour and pasta in the kitchen - food should be bought for no more than a week. At the same time, give preference to better known, well-established brands. Bulk products should be stored in tightly sealed containers.

If possible, it is not recommended to leave fruits and vegetables outdoors. You can get rid of the found fruit moth by placing the fruit in the refrigerator. If you suspect tubers, you should sort out and get rid of the infected as soon as possible. And of course, the best moth prevention is a careful check of all purchased products.

In conclusion, we note that the moth can equally successfully live in farmhouse, and in a fashionable apartment, so simply keeping the house clean does not guarantee that the pest will not come to visit you. Proper use of preventive measures and measures will save your home from the invasion of food moths with a greater probability.

Useful tips for getting rid of clothes moths in the closet and food moths in the kitchen

Food moth, as a rule, lives in cereals

What is a kitchen moth, and where does it come from? If you have a mole in the kitchen, you need to get rid of it urgently. How to do this, I'll tell you now.

Food moth - what is it?

If you have seen dark fluttering butterflies in your kitchen, then most likely you have encountered a kitchen moth. The presence of this pest in your apartment can also be indicated by small light worms moving along the walls. What is a kitchen moth and what to do with it?

Kitchen moth is also called food, or food. Its size does not exceed 1 cm, and the color is usually nondescript - gray or brown, sometimes with yellow splashes. In general, a kitchen moth is a generalized name for butterflies from the moth family (most often it is a barn or flour moth).

The moth is a nocturnal insect, so it is difficult to see it during the day. That is why the insect cannot be immediately detected.

The mole does not live long - from several days to a maximum of 3 weeks. However, she is extremely prolific. Therefore, it can be difficult to remove moths.

Moth larvae can reach 2 cm, looking like white-yellow worms, which often crawl along the walls of cabinets. But the larvae can live up to 60 days, after which they pupate and become an adult insect.

Causes of moths and methods of struggle

The reason for the appearance of food moths lies not in the absence of cleanliness in the kitchen. Eggs can be brought by us from the store - with low-quality cereals and other cereals, expired products, from contaminated sugar, flour, dried fruits.

Sometimes she comes home with pasta, nuts and even tea. In the warm season, moths can fly into the apartment through a window or ventilation holes. This insect is definitely harmful.

Insects spoil food and can cause intoxication of the human body. In cereals, the moth leaves the products of its vital activity and the shell of the larvae.

How to remove food moth?

If a food moth is wound up, it is necessary to act immediately and comprehensively. The table describes how to get rid of food moths in the kitchen:

A photo	Instruction
	Step 1 Just finding a nest is not enough, you need to destroy all infected products. The moth is very prolific, there can be many foci of infection, pay attention to this.
	Step 2 To pupate, the larva crawls out of food and spreads throughout the kitchen - it can be found on the ceiling, in furniture joints and crevices. Therefore, everything will have to be processed. Use a soap solution for this. Carefully process everything hard-to-reach places- cracks, joints, gaps. It is there that the larvae most of all like to hide to create a cocoon.
	Step 3 For the fight, you can use aerosols from ants or cockroaches. The well-known "Mashenka" and "Dichlorvos" are also suitable. But the latter is unsafe for humans, so its use in the kitchen is undesirable. The treatment should be repeated after 2-3 days, since insects do not multiply at once, but gradually.
	Step 4 In addition to the larvae, you need to destroy all the butterflies. To combat them, you can use special aerosols or simply kill them with a fly swatter or newspaper. They can also be effective. sticky tapes, commonly used for flies. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the peak of moth activity falls on the dark time of the day. You need to act decisively before the butterflies have time to lay their eggs. Therefore, of all means, it is better to choose a sprayer, not a pencil.
	Step 5 There are special aerosol products for fighting moths. But they are good for killing clothes moths, and for food their effectiveness is much lower. It is better to choose products for the destruction of ants or cockroaches. But pheromone traps can be useful. They contain pheromone bait. She attracts male moths. Crawling into a trap, they stick and stay there. Such traps are safe for people and animals, and their price is affordable.
	Step 6 Get ready for a long fight. At one time, it will not work to remove the mole. May take up to two weeks

Pest control: 4 folk methods

Apart from special means that you can buy, there are options that have been discovered by people. Here are folk remedies for control and prevention:

A photo	Description
	Method 1 When processing the kitchen, use a soapy solution, and rinse the cracks and joints of the facades with vinegar. This will not only allow the destruction of larvae and eggs, but will also scare off adults - the moth is sensitive to strong odors.
	Method 2 Put a clove of garlic in a jar of cereal. Again, a strong smell will scare away the insect.
	Method 3 You can lay out tobacco leaves or bay leaves in a cabinet with products. Lavrushka can also be put in containers for storing bulk products.
	Method 4 Make a scented pouch with lemon peels, orange peels, and herbs such as tansy and wild rosemary. You can also use not the herbs themselves, but essential oils. Simply apply them to a cotton swab and leave them in the corner of your cabinet.
	Method 5 Moth also does not like lavender. You can use lavender oil. And you can put a small bouquet of flowers themselves in the closet, wrapped in a thin cloth or gauze.

Since the kitchen moth may end up in the apartment due to contaminated food, you should be more careful about purchasing and storing them. Agree, it is always better to take precautions than to fight the pest later.

I give you some advice:

A photo	Description
	Tip 1 Buy quality products. Avoid very low prices.

The name "food moth" is popularly understood as several types of moths - small butterflies, the caterpillars of which feed on cereals, nuts and groceries. Each of these species has its own characteristics, however, despite the fact that outwardly different types of food moths differ well from each other, no one especially wants to understand them and is simply looking for ways to get rid of these pests as soon as possible.

At the same time light and universal instruction, like, no - due to the specifics of the nutrition of these butterflies, conventional methods such as aerosol insecticides are not suitable (after all, poison can get into food). Therefore, the fight against food moths is always a rather troublesome and resource-intensive event.

It is interesting

Before the development of human civilization, all types of moths were rather inconspicuous participants natural biocenoses, and their caterpillars fed on the seeds of grasses and trees. But with the advent of granaries, barns and warehouses, and especially with the start of active transportation of goods between countries and continents, the food moth quickly spread throughout the world and became a real cosmopolitan, equally effectively infecting grain in Argentina, China and Chad. And even today industrial methods the fight against food moths do not always cope with its destructive activity.

Types of food moth and features of their morphology

If you look at the photo different types food moth, one might wonder how they are generally confused and combined under one name. For example, in the photo below - flour moth, one of the most common types of food moth in the apartment:

But the southern barn moth, which has beautiful drawing on the wings. Getting it out is often the hardest thing to do:

And in the photo below you can see what a cocoa moth looks like - an ordinary food moth, which is easy to confuse with a wardrobe moth because of the inconspicuous light yellow color of the wings:

But in general, any food moth looks inconspicuous, even despite the pattern on the wings of some of its species. All of them are butterflies of discreet colors and small sizes.

Usually the length of their wings does not exceed 7-8 mm, and sitting on the surface, the insect folds them and becomes like a small protrusion on the surface. It is not surprising that a simple glance of a resident of a city apartment is usually not able to catch the difference in the color of these butterflies.

On a note

For the unprepared big city food and clothing moths are very similar. The easiest way to distinguish them is by their meeting places - the clothing moth rarely catches your eye in the kitchen, and the food moth, on the contrary, does not spare wardrobes and bedrooms with its attention.

But the larvae of the food moth are all on the same "face". These are small (up to one and a half centimeters) white-yellow or white-pink caterpillars without any hair or outgrowths on the body. Usually by appearance it is impossible to determine whether the caterpillar belongs to one or another moth. Fortunately, you can breed them all in the same ways, and it is not necessary to determine the species affiliation of the larvae for this.

For example, in the photo below - the larva of the food moth of the flour moth:

And in the next picture - the larva of the cocoa moth. Even despite the obvious difference in the color of adult butterflies, their larvae are very similar:

On a note

Food moth larvae are secretive and sedentary image life. Usually they catch the eye either in contaminated products or when crawling out of pupation cabinets. In this case, they move along the walls and strongly attract attention. In the photo - such an adult and ready to pupate larva of food moth.

Food moth: a bit of biology

Food moth is a pest with a fairly short reproduction cycle. With suitable temperature and humidity, it takes about two months from egg to egg, and sometimes up to six weeks.

The optimal conditions for the development of food moth butterflies are a temperature of about 25 ° C and a humidity of about 50%. With such air parameters, they develop the fastest, and it turns out to be very difficult to remove them.

Adult food moth butterflies do not feed at all: they do not have a developed oral apparatus and the digestive system does not function. Yes, and they do not live very long - about a week, mating literally on the first or second day after leaving the chrysalis. The remaining few days, the females devote to laying a hundred or one and a half eggs where the future offspring will find enough food, and the males look for other females or die.

In general, taking into account the larval stage, the food moth lives for about a month and a half. Of these, a week or two is spent on metamorphosis in the pupal stage.

Almost always, food moth breeds in the same place where its larvae live. Only in some cases, adult insects mate away from the groceries, and the females then return to the feeding environment.

A pest in an apartment: how does it get here, where does it live and what does it eat

Food moth larvae feed on groceries. Moreover, the food moth eats almost everything indiscriminately: cereals, flour, sugar, cocoa, nuts, dried fruits, bread, crackers, cookies, not very hot spices, unground grain, etc.

Food moth larvae are especially numerous in grain warehouses, which can cause significant damage. Each species has its own food preferences, but in general, the range of food products for each moth is wide. In an apartment, any type of food moth feeds on almost any grocery product.

Thus, wherever there is dry food, food moths can start.

In the photo - dry apricots, among which food moth larvae are visible. In case of mass infection of large volumes, it is extremely difficult to remove moths from such a product:

Each food moth larva not only eats the product in which it lives, but also constantly wraps itself in a silk cocoon. So in cereals or flour, “incomprehensible” lumps and pellets appear, and in nuts - neat nests with a worm inside.

It is important to understand that the food moth is a very poor flyer. She herself cannot spread between houses, and even more so between food warehouses and apartments, and in an apartment food moth is taken only with purchases and products from the supermarket. Food moths also start up in industrial storages: its larvae are transported in grain from one warehouse to another, and already their descendants master abundant food sources.

Harm from food moth

The main harm of food moth is food spoilage. Moth-infested groceries can no longer be eaten, and in industrial warehouses, contaminated products are not suitable for sale.

With a serious infection in the warehouse, the food moth is dangerous heavy losses product and a strong decrease in its quality.

On a note

It is moth-infested and re-cleaned products that enter the market at bargain prices - because they need to be sold somehow. And by buying them, an ordinary city dweller risks bringing a pest into his house with them.

The food moth does not eat clothes and is not dangerous to the wardrobe. This, however, does not mean that if there is a food moth in the room, you should not worry about things: clothes and food moths do not interfere with each other and may well cohabit in the same apartment, while individuals of food moths will mostly catch your eye. In any case, you need to remove the mole from the very first signs of its detection in the house.

Fighting food moth: measures and means

Necessary at all stages of its development. The statement that if only larvae harm, then only them need to be destroyed: each flying female moth lays in different places up to 160 eggs, from which new caterpillars will hatch within a week.

Therefore, it is necessary to destroy the food moth in a complex:

A good moth trap is the Aeroxon food moth trap. It attracts butterflies with its smell, and its adhesive surface does not dry out for a long time. You can buy such a food moth trap online or in some hardware stores. Its cost is about 200 rubles:

More simple methods control of food moths has not yet been developed. On the industrial enterprises against moths, phosphine-based fumigators and spraying grain with contact insecticides are used. It is impossible to carry out such processing of food indoors.

Measures to protect the home from food moth infestation

Knowing how to kill food moths is useful, but not enough to protect the premises from the pest. It is much more reasonable not to let him into the house at all, having taken several steps to prevent infection of the apartment with food moths. Among these measures:

• careful check of all products upon purchase
• avoidance of underpriced groceries
• buying food that will be eaten within one week
• use of moth repellents.

To comply with the last point, it is useful to know. Among the substances that repel her are strongly smelling herbs (wormwood, tansy, lavender, rosemary), essential oils, fresh orange peels, laundry and strawberry soap, vinegar, horse chestnut cones.

Any clean hostess cares about the cleanliness of the premises and the safety of products. But even with a caring attitude towards your home, you may encounter the problem of insect reproduction. Food moth attacks dry food and, despite short term life, manages to cause irreparable damage to stocks caring people. Therefore, as soon as at least one instance of a moth is found in the house, it is necessary to take measures to destroy it.

The food moth looks very similar to the night moth. The color corresponds to cereals and other products where it often lives. The insect is inconspicuous, most often gray or brown with small patches. Interestingly, on the wings there is pollen with a pearly sheen. Moreover, when external examination it's hard to spot her. But here it remains on the fingers, if the mole is slammed.

The food moth is able to fly, but the trajectory of its movement is so chaotic that it is quite difficult to catch it. You can make several unsuccessful attempts to catch it and fail.

The insect is most active at night. At this time of day, she is usually not disturbed, and she can lead an active life. However, during the day, moths can also be seen, but they are very cautious and immediately after the appearance of a person, they skillfully disguise themselves. Inconspicuous coloring helps her a lot in this.

Despite the fact that life cycle food moth is only about three weeks, it can significantly spoil the lives of people in the house. During its existence, the insect brings so many offspring that it is enough to destroy a whole warehouse of products.

not interested in food, prefers only natural fabrics and wool. It has a paler shade, closer to milky. In addition, the clothing insect is much smaller in size.

Where does it live

If a food moth is wound up in an apartment, then all grain products are subject to examination. The main source of its food and habitat is as follows:

• buckwheat;
• beans;
• pasta;
• sugar;
• peas;
• nuts;
• semolina;
• oat groats;
• biscuit;
• dried fruits;
• dry food for animals;
• coffee;
• cocoa.

It is in the packages of the above products that the food moth lives. It penetrates into finished products from dry substances stored in cabinets. But the main danger is not adults. The larvae of the food moth cause the greatest harm. During the period active growth they leave feces on food, develop cobwebs and shed scales after rebirth. They are also able to eat their dead relatives, leaving shells from them.

It is worth considering that only larvae eat cereals and other dry foods. If it has turned into an adult, then the moth needs access to water. She now uses the products only for laying new eggs.

What else is unpleasant moth? The products of her vital activity clog bags with cereals, they look pretty disgusting. In addition, they are somewhat poisonous.

Where did they come from

If a food moth is found in the apartment, then you should not think that the owners are unclean and do not follow the rules of hygiene. Uninvited guests can be a "legacy" from the previous owners of the apartment or start up if the stock is too large.

However, most often food moth enters the house from the store. It is important to understand that unscrupulous manufacturers could neglect the rules for storing and packaging products. In the store, sellers also make mistakes and, if stored carelessly, contribute to the contamination of products.

Therefore, it is important to always inspect a bag of biscuits, cereals or sugar for the presence of larvae or an adult.

Moth can get into the apartment through the ventilation ducts, through opened window or a door. It can be brought by a neighbor along with a pack of cookies. Especially favorable conditions for the movement of insects is warm, dry and calm weather.

Settling in a new place, the insect is looking for favorite foods and rapidly multiplies in them. It should be noted that plastic bags are not a hindrance for them. If necessary, they easily gnaw through them. Therefore, for the storage of dry cereals, it is recommended to use tin or plastic jars. You can use glass.

Do not rely on cardboard packaging. For moths, this is not an obstacle. If a thin cobweb appeared on the surface of the box, then uninvited guests have already firmly settled in a new place. Alas, such a product is subject to elimination.

Destroy immediately

How to get rid of food moth? This is useful for all housewives to know. Before using radical means, you can try the temperature method. In this case, exposure to both cold and hot temperatures is suitable:

1. If frosts are below 10 degrees outside, then bags of cereals are hung outside the window for 2-3 days. In the summer you can use for these purposes freezer. This method suitable for large cereals like beans, which can be washed afterwards.
2. Infected products can be calcined in a frying pan or kept in the oven for 1.5 hours. The temperature can be 60 degrees. Often dried fruits are saved in this way.

Such methods will save some of the products that can be processed and only if the infection is not more than 20%. If the coverage area is much larger, and the moth is found in semolina, rice, flour, sugar and other similar products, then it is better to throw them away. But before purchasing a new batch of stock, it is necessary to clear kitchen cabinets from eggs, larvae and adults to avoid re-infection.

We process lockers

How to deal with food moth? This is of interest to many clean housewives. The insect is afraid of sunlight and soap. Therefore, after some products are thermally processed and others are discarded, it should be general cleaning in the kitchen. For this, water and ordinary soap are used. It is best to use economic.

It is necessary to wipe all surfaces of cabinets with soapy water. Pay special attention to cracks. They may contain insect larvae and cocoons. Dishes and containers where cereals were stored are also processed. Next, food vinegar is used. They clean cabinet surfaces. After processing, it is necessary to ventilate the room and leave the doors of the headset open for 2-3 hours.

Special traps

To fight insects, a trap for food moths is useful. It is a small pyramid with access from two sides. Inside there is a special coating with pheromone. The principle of operation of the trap is that males are attracted to the smell, they fly to it and stick to it. Thus, you can get rid of them and their further reproduction. The population is gradually dying out.

However, it should be noted that the trap, although it has a lot of advantages, still has significant disadvantage. The smell of the pheromone is so strong and attracts moths that they can flock from the apartments of all the neighbors. Therefore, when using it, it is better to keep windows and doors closed.

stop breeding

To help get rid of food moths in the kitchen, ordinary sticky tapes, which are often used to catch flies, will help. The method significantly reduces the population of adults, gradually reducing it to none.

You can also use glue traps that act on similar principle. Their advantage is more convenient use and the ability to stick horizontally and vertically. It is recommended to place such traps inside the cabinets on the shelves, on the walls and ceiling.

Means of the chemical industry

In stores you can find a variety of drugs aimed at combating food and clothing moths. Food moth remedy can be divided into repellents and insecticides:

The most famous, popular and effective means chemical industry:

• "Raptor". The aerosol is sprayed onto kitchen surfaces. The validity period is at least one year. It is safe for a person. It is aimed at the destruction of both adults and larvae.
• "Armol". Instant aerosol against adult bloodworms. It has a prolonged effect on the larvae. The effect of spraying lasts up to six months.
• "Combat". Able to destroy eggs, larvae and butterflies. Aerosol easily penetrates into cracks and nooks and crannies. The range of action is significantly expanded due to the possibility of getting into the narrowest gaps. It is completely safe for people and animals.

It should be understood that such products are used away from food products. This means that before processing the lockers, all bags of cereals are removed. Otherwise, if the aerosol gets into them, the food becomes poisonous and can cause significant harm to health.

Additional features

To get rid of food moths, you can use different ways. In addition to aerosols, there are other forms of preparations on sale. Most commonly used:

• cassettes "Zitol", "Fitocide" and "Arsenal";
• plates "Prayer";
• tablets "Antimol".

Such products are laid out inside kitchen cabinets and significantly repel insects. Food moth steadfastly bypasses such premises.

Grandma's methods

If the hostess is not satisfied with the drugs that are offered in the store, you can use folk remedies for food moths. Our grandmothers knew well how to deal with this scourge, because the stocks used to be quite large. The essence of all folk ways comes down to rather pungent odors that the moth does not tolerate:

• Lavender. The aroma of lavender is not tolerated by any moth, whether food or clothes. The plant extract has been successfully used in industrial means. You can simply arrange fresh flowers in cabinets, as our grandmothers did. But there is an easier way. Flower extract is applied to cotton swabs and laid out inside kitchen set. You can sew small pillows by filling them with a dried plant.

• Citrus. They have a rather pungent odor that repels adults. Lemon or orange peel and zest should be laid out around the perimeter of the cabinets and updated regularly. You can also use essential oil and a swab dipped in it.
• Garlic. In the container where the cereal is stored, you can put a couple of cloves. This method reliably repels moths, but is not suitable for sugar, coffee and other products that absorb odors. Can be used in cereals.

• Bay leaf. simple and reliable way. Laurel sheets are laid out inside the cabinets. You can put them inside a container with cereals.

• Aromatic oil. There are a lot of smells that repel moths. The most reliable are wild rosemary, basil, geranium, tansy, cloves, rosemary.
• AT country house you can use wormwood. The plant simply unfolds inside food boxes.
• Camphor oil will not only allow you to get rid of moths, but also prevent them from approaching your home.

Preventive measures

In order not to wonder how to get rid of food moths, it is better to prevent their appearance altogether. To do this, you should regularly carry out preventive measures:

1. Maintain order in the kitchen. Internal surfaces wipe with vinegar.
2. Musty and stagnant air is favorable for moths. Therefore, it is necessary to ventilate the dwelling more often.
3. It is recommended to check the packaging even in the store. It is better if it is transparent, so it is easier to see what is inside. If an infected cereal is found at home, it is better to throw it away.
4. It is better to store food in tightly closed jars.
5. In lockers, use bags with fragrant herbs. It is completely safe for humans, but rather unpleasant for insects.
6. All ventilation ducts it is necessary to close it with a mesh or a lattice with small holes so that insects do not get from neighbors.
7. Do not make global stocks of cereals. If they become infected with moths, then everything will have to be thrown away.
8. To prevent moths from starting in containers, you can use the military method. It is necessary to carefully clean an ordinary nail and put it in a jar before filling the grits.

Thanks to prevention, moths can be prevented and products can be protected from contamination.