The main reasons for the appearance of moths. How and how to get rid of moths in an apartment at home and prevent its reappearance

They scare away moth butterflies, protecting things from the invasion of insect pests. If the moth has already occupied your closet, putting a bunch of lavender in it is useless. You have to resort to chemistry.

Prevention

All groceries should be stored tightly closed banks or, in extreme cases, well tied plastic bags. The larvae cannot stand bright sunlight and fresh air. That is why things that are often “in use” are not afraid of moths.

And about winter clothes sent to the closet for the summer, you need to take care of in advance. Moth caterpillars begin their meal with dirty and sweaty spots, eating away the fabric clean along with the dirt. Therefore, to prevent the appearance of moths, clothes must be cleaned and washed before storage.

After cleaning, fur and woolen items are placed in plastic bags, and fur coats are placed in cases made of thick paper with an anti-moth preparation.

Shake things well before packing: moth eggs are not too firmly attached to the fibers of fabric or fur, so they will fly off.

• liquid preparation Antimol Contact spray carpets and fur coats before they are put away for storage, and when the products dry, they are wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a closet. This protects them from damage by moths for 3-5 months.
• To prevent the appearance of moths, we advise you to regularly ventilate and clean the apartment as often as possible.
And also clean upholstered furniture and carpets at least 1-2 times a month (most effectively with a vacuum cleaner). Preferably with the use of disinfectants, for example, monochloramine.

• Give Special attention when cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, cleaning cracks between skirting boards and walls, in the floor, spaces between walls, furniture and the floor.

Here, larvae of skin beetles and pupae of moths are concentrated to the greatest extent. Adult leather beetles often accumulate in shades or on windows, where they can be easily collected with a vacuum cleaner.

• Moth butterflies do not tolerate the smell of printing ink, so during storage, some things can be wrapped with newspaper, which will be a reliable “screen” against moths.

Since moths do not like the smell of cedar, fur coats or other similar products can be hung on hangers made of cedar wood, the smell of which will scare away the moths, and things will be saturated with a pleasant fresh aroma of wood.

The moth is a nondescript gray butterfly that is mainly nocturnal. In nature, there are several hundred species of this insect. Some of them prefer to live in human habitation, turning into malicious pests. Their favorite food is furs, woolen products, as well as foodstuffs. To figure out how to deal with this insect, you need to know where the moth comes from, what types of this pest inhabit our houses and apartments, as well as reproduction features.

A few words about the insect

The moth belongs to the order of Lepidoptera (butterflies), which are characterized by small size and predominantly twilight lifestyle. Moth larvae can cause serious harm. Adult individuals, upon reaching puberty, perform only the function of reproduction (mating and laying eggs).

A distinctive feature of the moth is the absence of a proboscis. With the help of this organ, ordinary butterflies extract nectar hidden in the inflorescences of plants. Moth larvae are more primitive creatures and less whimsical about food. They have a well developed oral apparatus, which allows them to even gnaw plant seeds and fruit pits.

The absence of a proboscis does not interfere with the normal functioning of the insect. This is explained by the fact that the moth, while still in the caterpillar stage, consumes food with the help of its jaws and accumulates a supply of energy in the body for the future. Growing up, the insect not only loses the opportunity to eat, but also cannot digest food. The main task of an adult is to breed offspring.

Since the moth is capable of causing harm while in the caterpillar stage, it is pointless to fight adult insects. Before you notice the flying butterflies, their larvae will already have time to settle down in a dark secluded place and harm your belongings and food. And it won't be easy to find them.

How do moths reproduce

The development of moths, like butterflies, takes place in several stages:

1. Egg.
2. Larva (caterpillar).
3. Pupa.
4. adult butterfly.

The average lifespan of a butterfly is about 3 weeks. Some types of moths live only a few days. For this short span time, the female manages to lay from 40 to 200 eggs, from which white translucent larvae hatch after a week. As soon as the caterpillar is born, it begins to actively feed and form a spindle-shaped cocoon from the surrounding nutrient medium. It is while in the larval stage that the moth causes the main damage. After a month and a half, the larva pupates, after which a butterfly emerges from the pupa. An adult individual literally from the first days of life begins to reproduce offspring: it lays eggs in dark secluded places and soon dies.

Thus, under the right conditions, the reproduction of moths is an ongoing process. The duration of the development cycle depends on the species of insect, habitat conditions and varies from 1 month to 2.5 years.

Varieties of domestic moth

As for the varieties of winged pests, most often clothes and food moths can be found in residential premises. It is worth noting that both species are similar in appearance, but have different gastronomic preferences, lead a different lifestyle and do not claim each other's territory. Simply put, if you notice a clothes moth in your home, then you don’t have to worry about the safety of cereal stocks.

Clothes and where does it come from

Moth in an apartment can spoil fabrics and materials of natural origin - wool, furs, cotton, linen. This type of moth is called wardrobe.

Where does this type of moth come from? Clothes pests can start regardless of the cleanliness and well-groomedness of the premises. It can be both shabby and fashionable apartments. Moreover, in the second case, the chances of the appearance of uninvited guests are much higher, since the owners of expensive apartments can afford to buy fur coats, clothes, furniture and carpets from natural materials.

Long-wear items with the smell of sweat and particles of the epidermis cause the greatest appetite. Moreover, in order to get to the favorite delicacy, the pest will not stop even in front of polyethylene and will gnaw through a plastic bag in no time.

How to recognize clothes moth? This kind of moth looks like a small butterfly up to 8 mm in size. Its wings are a solid golden beige color and fringed edges. Adults of this insect fly poorly and most often move curiously, and do it quite quickly.

Clothes moth can lay up to 200 eggs. The lifespan of a caterpillar is typically 70 to 200 days, depending on temperature. environment. In cold conditions and in the absence of food, the clothes moth larva can live up to 2 years. During the year, only one generation of such a moth is born, which is explained by the feeding conditions of the caterpillars and the duration of their development.

Finding out where the moth comes from in the house is not always possible. But if, after buying a woolen or fur item, you begin to notice flying malicious moths, this means that insect larvae have already lived in the product.

Where does moth come from? In addition to the human factor, the fault of the appearance of a pest in a dwelling may be a pet, which only acts as a vehicle when moving from the street to the house.

The entry of moths into the dwelling can also contribute opened window or ventilation system.

food moth

If the situation is more or less clear regarding clothes moth, then where does the moth come from in the kitchen? Food moth prefers to settle in residential buildings, warehouses, shops and granaries.

There are several types of such moths, and each of them causes irreparable harm to food. So, flour moth starts in cereals and flour, fruit moth - in dried fruits, spices, mushrooms, herbs and nuts. For ordinary person all varieties of food moths look the same - they are small butterflies gray color with a dark pattern on the wings. It is by the dark pattern that the food moth is determined.

Where this pest comes from is not always possible to find out. But as a rule, infection with moth larvae occurs even during storage of products in food warehouses, where moths can freely lay eggs. Therefore, do not be surprised where the black moth comes from in the apartment, because you can bring the pest along with cereals bought in the store. Moreover, such a product will not be saved by hermetic factory packaging, since it was already infected at the time of storage in the warehouse. Of course, immediately after the purchase, there may be no worms in the package, but after a while you will begin to notice fluttering butterflies in the kitchen, and you will find moths and caterpillars in the package with cereals.

Based on the foregoing, it follows that in most cases the person himself brings the moth into the house.

Ways to deal with clothes moth

Fighting moth larvae is not an easy task, as the pest lays its eggs in the most secluded places. It is worth noting that it is much easier to remove clothes moth than food moth.

Methods for dealing with clothes moth are as follows:

• inspection of things for the presence of eggs and larvae;
• drying clothes and hats in the sun or washing at a temperature of 60 degrees;
• spraying special aerosols in insect habitats in order to destroy larvae;
• placement of pest repellents (lavender, essential oils, fumigators) among things, on shelves and cabinet walls.

How to get rid of food moth

To remove the food moth, you need to make a lot of effort.

First of all, you will have to throw away all contaminated food products: cereals, flour, herbs, roots, etc.

Special aerosol products can be used against flying moths. Kitchen cabinets should be treated with vinegar solution or products intended for this purpose, which are sold in a hardware store.

After getting rid of moths and larvae, lavender sprigs or other special means that prevent the appearance of a pest can be laid out on the shelves as a prophylactic.

In addition, in order not to wonder in the future where the moth comes from, cereals brought from the store must be calcined in the microwave or oven. This procedure will help kill the eggs along with the larvae.

Many owners of even the cleanest apartments periodically have to think about where the mole comes from. It seems that everything is clean in the house and there are no other insects, but these nondescript gray butterflies are beginning to catch the eye more and more often. In fact, the reason for the appearance of moths depends primarily not on the cleanliness of the dwelling itself (as, for example, in the case of cockroaches), but on other factors.

The most important thing is what kind of moth wound up in the house, what kind it belongs to - there are clothes moth and food moth. These pests, similar to each other, but completely different in their biology, enter the house each in their own ways.

When wondering where the mole comes from in the apartment, it is useful to remember that it does not care about the sanitary condition of the room. The pest equally effectively infects both unhygienic barracks and elite housing. The main thing for her is the presence of a food base, and it is this food base that is most abundant in expensive houses.

The path of the food moth to the apartment

The favorite food of the moth is cereals, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, milk formulas, flour, animal feed, dried berries, herbs and roots.

On a note

Very often, products in warehouses infested with moths are sold at bargain prices. Sometimes this means that by buying buckwheat or flour at a “holiday” discount, a housewife provides herself with headache and bewilderment about the appearance of moths in the apartment. It is important to remember that it does not appear in the kitchen by itself - in the vast majority of cases, it is brought in by the owners of the premises themselves.

Sometimes the reasons for the appearance of moths in the house become clear after a conversation with neighbors: the pest moves along those passing around the house ventilation systems. This means that moths in your apartment may well appear from the next room.

The moth is a bad flyer and rarely moves between apartments. Much more often, larvae, pupae and moth eggs enter the house with food or furniture.

If there is a grocery store on the ground floor of a residential building, perhaps it is the place where the food moth comes from. apartment building. Storage of cereals and flour in warehouses in large numbers provokes the reproduction of this pest.

Like any other winged one, it can simply fly into an apartment, for example, with landing through an open door, but this happens extremely rarely.

How does the clothes moth get into the apartment

So, where do moths come from in the closet if everything is new, clean and neatly folded? To find out, you should remember whether you bought in recent times the following products:

• natural wool carpets
• furniture with natural upholstery
• outerwear made of fur or wool
• wearable wool or knitwear
• shoes with natural fur.

If a moth started up at home after one of these purchases, then it is safe to say that the larvae were already in it at the time of purchase. After settling, the moth began to multiply and spoil other things that came across its path. Unfortunately, the pest can even be in expensive items from trusted stores that protect their reputation.

Store-bought or used furniture can also serve as an excellent " vehicle» to transport moth larvae to a new place of residence. Especially it concerns old furniture, in which it is very easy to get to the "delicious" filler.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely insure against the appearance of food moths in an apartment, because one larva in an individual or one larva in a packed cereal is enough to infect a kitchen. It is much more important to create conditions at home that will not allow moths to reproduce comfortably and spoil food.

First, let's see what conditions are most favorable for food moths:

How to prevent moths from entering the house?

Anyone who knows well where the moth comes from in the apartment can competently approach the prevention of its appearance in the home.

You can avoid the appearance of a clothes moth only with the help of a thorough inspection of all new things that enter the house. Even if a fur coat or a hat is bought in an expensive store, you should carefully look at its external and inner side for damage by moth larvae. At home, you should hang the purchased item on the balcony and leave it there for three days. It is worth doing this in clear sunny weather without dampness, so as not to spoil the fur or wool.

A wonderful fragrant prevention from clothes moth will be lavender laid out in the closet or orange peels(they need to be changed as they dry), you can also put an open bottle of essential oil of any of these plants.

For lovers of ready-made preparations, you can offer special moth sections that are hung in a closet and also have a pleasant aroma. The fur coat, hat or carpet itself can be treated with a moth spray - this is especially recommended when storing warm clothes in the summer season.

It is interesting

There are several more ways to save your favorite things from clothes moths. Before storing them, you can cover them with fresh newspapers or put a few strong cigarettes in your pockets (the moth does not like the smell of printing ink and tobacco, but it can last for a long time and spoil the pleasure of wearing things). Another good way- freeze things or products. To do this, in the cold season, they can be “forgotten” on the balcony for several days, after which any moth will die. The battery works the same way. central heating, which is on small woolen and knitted things - socks, hats, sweaters.

The principles for preventing food moth infestation are similar to those outlined above. After coming from grocery store you need to look at all the goods where moths can start: cereals, dried fruits, nuts, dry spices, herbs. If nothing is found there, food can be stored in glass jars or linen bags.

Some folk recipes it is advised to soak the bags with brine or just salt water. Definitely do not store cereals or flour in an open original packaging.

It is recommended to periodically ventilate kitchen cabinets and wipe the shelves with vinegar, lay out lavender or orange peels in them. It is not recommended to purchase cereals and nuts in large quantities "in reserve", since the longer such a product is stored, the more likely the moths to multiply in it.

Interesting video: how to get rid of butterflies and moth caterpillars

Almost everyone was faced with the question of how to get rid of moths in an apartment forever, but the answer to it is not easy. Moths are called small insects from the category of butterflies. Basically, the common moth is known, spoiling fur and woolen things.

Moth larvae at home feed on horny substance - keratin, which is part of wool, carpet pile, fur coat hairs. By eating keratin, the caterpillar leaves waste products. During the day, the larva can make a through hole in a fur or woolen product. In search of food, the moth gnaws different materials: paper, cotton, silk, synthetic materials.

The development of a moth consists of several stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly. Moths usually mean butterflies, but they are just less dangerous for things. Fur and wool are eaten by caterpillars, so it is necessary to fight with them and with the larvae that insects lay.

Folk and shop remedies against moths

In the fight against moths, housewives use different means both folk, proven over the years, and modern, purchased. Let's figure out what will help get rid of harmful insects faster and will not harm the health of the residents of the apartment.

Folk remedies against moths

Our great-grandmothers used the well-known naphthalene to protect things from moths in the apartment, which effectively repels butterflies, but cannot destroy caterpillars and eggs. Scientists classify naphthalene as a carcinogen that can provoke the development of malignant diseases.

• Natural and safe moth remedies are fir and lavender essential oils. Fur and wool fabrics cotton swabs soaked in these oils, dried lavender flowers, laid out among things in gauze bags, will protect against insects.
• The smell of cedar wood and camphor will scare away pests from the closet.
• A safe folk remedy in the fight against insects is vinegar. Heat a few tablespoons of vinegar in a hot frying pan and close for 10-15 minutes in the closet.
• The powder of Caucasian chamomile - pyrethrum will relieve flying moths. Lay out the powder at the rate of 3-4 grams per square meter area.
• Tobacco, black pepper, strawberry soap, orange peels will come to fight moth butterflies, houseplants with a pungent aroma - geranium and coleus. Insects do not tolerate these odors.

Video tips

Folk ways fights are safe for health, but plants are only repellents that repel butterflies. If the mole has settled in things, you can get rid of it only with the help of chemistry.

Purchased remedies for domestic moths

The traditional and well-known remedy for moths is briquettes and tablets, which include camphor and naphthalene. They are laid out on the top shelves of cabinets.

The anti-moth action of naphthalene and camphor is based on the heavy vapors of these substances, which, concentrating at the bottom, do not allow butterflies to lay eggs on clothes. The biggest plus of briquettes and tablets is the low price. But a large concentration of camphor and naphthalene can be dangerous to human health. This should be taken into account for people prone to allergic reactions.

There are many pest control products on store shelves.

1. Antimol or Dezmol are placed 3-4 tablets in a cabinet. The duration of the drugs is about two weeks.
2. Molemor protects things from insects for six months, but no more than two plates can be used in one room.
3. Aerosols and sprays - "Suprosol", "Kapkan", plates - "Moskitol", liquid - "Supromit". liquid substances they process the walls of cabinets and clothes, the effect of the treatment lasts for several months.
4. "Raid antimol" can be purchased immediately in the form of a gel, spray and plates.

Manufacturers of insect repellents produce odorless preparations that destroy butterflies and moth larvae, protect things from skin beetles, carpet bugs, and ants. The plates are valid for up to six months.

Moth preparations in the form of sections are popular. It is enough to remove the protective tape and glue the section to the top wall of the cabinet. Sections will fill the closet with a pleasant smell of lavender, chamomile or tangerine. Children's things will be protected by special sections of delicate action. Update the drug in the closet every 4-6 months. Despite all the advantages, the product is quite toxic: it cannot be stored near food products and in places accessible to children, it is unacceptable to place more than two sections in rooms less than 15 square meters. m.

Take the choice of anti-moth drugs seriously: do not buy products from dubious manufacturers with damaged packaging. Chemical substances inadequate quality may be harmful to health.

How to permanently get rid of food moths

In the kitchen

You can permanently get rid of food moths in the kitchen only with the help of chemicals described above. Folk remedies are used after the complete elimination of pests, for prevention.

After the breeding procedures, be sure to treat the places where she lived. Wash cupboards containing insect-infested food with warm soapy water, then with clean water. All cracks and grooves are smeared with table vinegar using a thin brush. After that, the cabinet remains open until completely dry.

So that they don’t get wound up in the kitchen harmful insects, store groceries in tanks or containers with tight closed lids. If you have to store food in plastic bags, they must be well tied.

In cereals

If the moth has strongly affected the cereals, they should not be eaten. If a small amount of food is damaged, you can try to sort it out, then dry it for 15 minutes in an oven at a temperature of 60 ° C or in a microwave.

on cabbage

A common pest worldwide is the cabbage moth. After several bites of the insect, the head of cabbage cannot be stored, it begins to deteriorate quickly. The pest infects the plant even in the beds.

Work on insect control is carried out in the complex.

1. The remains of the crop are carefully plowed. Since pupae remain on them and on the weeds for the winter, which, after plowing, will not be able to get out.
2. Make sure weeds don't spread. If more than 10% of the crop is affected or there are more than 4 caterpillars on one bush, they are treated with insecticides.
3. Most effective means garden pest control Entobacterin, Lepidocide, Bitoxibacillin.

What to do if the larvae are not found?

It is a big delusion to think that the moth butterfly brings harm to things and by killing it, you can get rid of the problem. Almost always we see male moths that fly into the rooms. Females at this time lay their eggs in cabinets and other secluded places.

Caterpillars, which soon emerge from the larvae, cause damage to products made of fur, wool and other natural materials. It is logical to fight not with butterflies, but to destroy the larvae. If they could not be found, it is necessary to carry out regular preventive measures and prevent the appearance of the pest.

1. The first thing that caterpillars eat is dirty places on clothes, so before sending things for storage, thoroughly clean them of stains.
2. Caterpillars and eggs are detrimental to direct sunlight and fresh air. Dry things periodically and ventilate on the balcony. Half an hour in hot weather is enough for moth eggs to die. In less sunny weather, double the drying time to achieve the effect.
3. If possible, carry out quartzing in cabinets and the room where things are stored.
4. For radical destruction moth caterpillars, like cockroaches, dichlorvos-based products are used.
5. The larvae die when exposed to low temperatures - freezing and evaporation. These methods are advisable to use if there is no risk of damaging the product.

Types of domestic moth

In nature, there are more than forty species of moth. Only a few of them can be found in houses and apartments. To choose the most effective way to fight, you need to determine their type. The division into species is based on the habitat of the insect: some pests can be called domestic, others agricultural. Among the agricultural species of moths, the barley moth, apple and cabbage moths are especially distinguished. Household pests include fur, furniture, grain and clothes moths. Consider the most common types of domestic moths that annoy every housewife.

fur moth

The fur moth is a butterfly of a brilliant brown-yellow or grayish color. The wingspan reaches 15-16 mm. On the front wings there are two small dark dots and one large one. Worm-shaped caterpillars white color with a brown head and translucent skin. Eats natural furs, gnaws on its way all the hair that comes across.

Clothes moth

The size of the clothes moth is larger than the fur coat. The wingspan is about 20-22 mm. The front wings are light yellow in color, with a purple-brown speck at the top. The head of the insect is covered with a white fluff. The caterpillar looks just like a caterpillar of a fur moth. Having settled in the folds of cloth or drape, the moth eats away the material from the inside, leaving the outer thin layer matter. Therefore, often a defect in a thing is not immediately noticeable.

furniture moth

The furniture moth is distinguished by a brilliant light yellow color. The head of the insect is rusty-yellow, the wings are brown at the base. The caterpillars eat the hair upholstery of the furniture, and before the formation of the chrysalis, they feed on wood, gnawing paths, following the pattern of the tree. The moth lays its eggs on the bottom and corners of furniture, in the cracks of wood, and nests of white cocoons accumulate here. Full development of the caterpillar takes two months in summer period and about five in winter. The furniture moth begins to pupate in February, the first years in the spring months, the second years of butterflies in July and August.

Even if there are no fur things in the house, the hostess needs to know how to get rid of moths so that the pest does not spoil clothes, food and upholstered furniture. This butterfly lives not only in apartments - there are species that spoil fruit trees and vegetable crops, caterpillars wax moth they eat all bee products, as well as bee larvae. Each species requires its own methods of struggle. It is useless to ask gardeners or beekeepers how they remove pests in their farms - such methods will not work for an apartment, there are tricks and secrets in expelling moths from living quarters.

Meet the pest

Moths can enter your home different ways: through open doors, windows and vents, along with clothing, carpets and library books, on the fur of cats and dogs. This small butterfly has a different appearance depending on the species.

You will not always understand that a pest has settled in the house, so you need to learn to distinguish between all the dangerous varieties of moths.

• The woolly moth is a yellowish-gray butterfly with black dots on its wings. Most often lives in closets where clothes are stored. Favorite delicacy - furs and wool. To get food, it gnaws holes in plastic bags.
• Furniture moth has a golden yellow color. Lives in upholstered furniture and feeds on matter, which is upholstered in armchairs and sofas.
• The dress variety has yellow-purple wings, eats all fabric items, holes are found even on synthetics.
• Food moth is gray or Brown, destroys food stocks. What does not eat, spoils the waste of his life. Food cooked from contaminated raw materials is unfit for consumption and can cause poisoning.

If a flock of insects flutters around the apartment, then the population has already reached large sizes- you need to start fighting until the pests have deprived you of the main part of the property. Adult individuals will no longer cause any harm to fur coats and carpets. The imago is not developed digestive system not even a mouth. They emerge from pupae, mate, lay eggs and die. It is useless to slap fluttering butterflies - these are males who have impregnated their girlfriends. They have already fulfilled their function and will soon die without your help. It is difficult to see females, they are busy looking for a secluded place for masonry and after that they will also die. And from the eggs hidden in the crevices and deposits of old things, caterpillars will come out, which will immediately begin to devour everything.

The best remedy for moths is order in the house

Most the best remedy from moths - cleanliness and accuracy. If all fabric items are constantly shaken up, there are no deposits of clothes in the closets that have been gathering dust for years unclaimed, the butterfly will have nowhere to lay its eggs. General cleaning should be really general - with an audit of all mezzanines, pantries and shelving. If you clean only those places where guests can look, the work will be done not to improve the sanitary condition of the apartment, but to maintain your image in front of visitors. On a clear day, take out all soft products in the sun, ventilate and dust the utility rooms. If such procedures are carried out regularly, single pests can be removed with folk remedies and it will not be necessary to treat all rooms with chemicals.

Have you noticed fluttering insects and decided to declare war on them? First of all, carry out general cleaning, pay special attention to textile and fur products and bulk food products. Send fur coats, carpets and other things that cannot be washed to a dry cleaner. Arm yourself with a vacuum cleaner and clean upholstered furniture, all books and other paper products. Put things in order in cabinets, bedside tables, secretaries. Wash all clothes, blankets, bedspreads at maximum temperature or give it a good dusting in the fresh air.

Danger signals are:

• holes in fabrics
• small whitish worms;
• loss of fur from hats, coats and collars;
• bald spots on carpets.

Ornamental indoor plants will help save the apartment from moths. most accessible and beautiful flower- Pelargonium, or geranium. Place pots with decorative bushes on the windowsills, their leaves will exude an ethereal smell that is hated by moths.

Wash everything internal surfaces cabinets with water and vinegar. So that the linen is not saturated with a sour smell, ventilate the furniture - the aroma, which is unpleasant for moths, will still remain and will not allow insects to arrange masonry in your clothes. It is advisable to add vinegar to the water for mopping and dusting, so that the atmosphere in the room is not to the taste of pests. If you searched all the nooks and crannies, but did not find the larvae of the pest, treat the cracks with a solution of essential oils, and the moth will not stick in there.

Pest prevention

The moth loves to settle in dark, damp places. If you want to create for her the most favorable conditions, turn the apartment into a warehouse of unnecessary things and create a strategic food supply. Let the shelves be filled with books that are of no interest to anyone and are never removed from the shelves. Fold the clothes that you are not going to wear in the far corner of the wardrobe, where they will be stored for years. Get a large bag of cereal or flour and leave it stored for a rainy day, such supplies are very useful for food moths.

If you do not want pests to live comfortably with you, get rid of all unnecessary things. Some people do not raise their hands to throw away their favorite fur coat. deceased grandmother or an old carpet that my grandfather brought in 1945 as a trophy from Germany. You can’t take them to the trash - transport them at least to an unheated barn in the country, they will cope with moths there winter frosts. Since moths often start up in things that no one touches for a long time, ruthlessly expel all unnecessary rubbish from the apartment.

Periodically hang all things from pantries, mezzanines and shelving for ventilation, it is advisable to do this in severe frost or on a hot sunny day. Leave cabinet doors open to keep insects out of the sun. If moth caterpillars appear in a woolen sweater or fur hat, they first of all eat polluted places. Never seasonally store items unless you have washed or cleaned them first.

Luckily for humans, moths don't like a lot of different smells, and you can scent things to your liking. If someone in the family is allergic to citrus or lavender, you can choose another fragrance that is pleasant to people but hateful to the pest. Spread bunches of dry grass, bags with odorous plants throughout the apartment. You may not line your pockets winter clothes bunches of dried leaves, which will then be difficult to shake out. Soak a washcloth or cotton swab in essential oil selected plant and put it in clothes.

Remember what the mole does not tolerate:

• perfume;
• soap;
• citrus;
• camphor;
• tobacco;
• spices;
• garlic;
• fir;
• cedar;
• lavender;
• tansy;
• spices.

The author of the site, the site, figured out the question of whether naphthalene can be used to combat moths. The use of this drug is undesirable, it has carcinogenic properties and can provoke the development of malignant tumors.

The moth has adapted to live next to a person at home at a temperature comfortable for people. On a frosty day, hang clothes and other soft items outside and leave for a few hours. In summer, the sun's rays have the same destructive effect. When storing winter boots, place crumpled newspapers inside. The insect is intolerant of printing ink and will not want to lay its eggs in the fur lining of your boots.

We save products

Food moth prefers to settle in food bags. If you don't want to spend money on feeding voracious grubs, don't turn your kitchen into a strategic food store. There are almost no people left who remember the blockade of Leningrad and the wartime famine, store shelves have long been filled with all kinds of products, but some pensioners keep bags of flour, cereals, dried fruits at home. Grandmothers are afraid of inflation, price increases, a lean year, and it is still unknown what misfortunes and they themselves attract pests to the apartment.

You need to understand that it is impossible to stock up for a lifetime, and a bag of flour bought at low prices, deteriorate and be thrown into the trash. It is not known from what sources and at what time information publications receive advice to sort out the cereal spoiled by caterpillars and fry it in the oven. This should not be done: insect larvae and testicles that have been eaten can cause poisoning. It is better to buy products in small portions and store them properly, then you won’t have to throw anything away. If you notice several grains in the bag, fastened together with a web, know that a moth larva has started up there and prepared food for transportation to another place. The product is no longer suitable for consumption, if it is a pity to throw it away, give it to the birds.

Pour all food supplies from bags into jars with airtight lids. Interior kitchen cabinets wash with a solution of soda or vinegar, treat all cracks and gaps in furniture and building structures with the same composition.

The adult moth does not eat, but it needs a sufficient amount of water to lay eggs. Tidy up the plumbing so that there are no leaking pipes and taps in the apartment. Empty the water from the trays in dish dryers, do not leave glasses and cups with unfinished liquid on the table. To prevent moths from visiting you from neighbors, tighten ventilation grates dense mesh.

Butterflies will not lay eggs where it smells:

• bay leaf;
• black allspice;
• cloves;
• walnut leaves.

Chemistry against moths

If a whole flock of butterflies flew out of an open closet, the infection had gone too far. Insects have already laid a lot of eggs, soon hordes of caterpillars will eat all cloth and fur things, they will not disdain even synthetics. There is no time to save clothes with folk remedies, you need to act quickly and decisively. Don't know what to do in such a situation? You can call the pest control service or go to the store household chemicals and buy the necessary drugs.

Brands deserve good reviews:

• "Antimol";
• "Suprazole";
• "Moskitol";
• "Molemore";
• "Trap".

The industry produces insecticides without an unpleasant odor in convenient, beautiful packaging. Here, the danger for a frivolous hostess may lurk. A bright box with a pleasant aroma of lavender contains a dangerous poison inside. Immediately, as soon as the poison was brought from the store, put it out of the reach of children. Before use, read the instructions, learn how to deal with moths, and follow all precautions. In the kitchen, you can use only those preparations that are allowed to be used near food. After a person gets rid of moths, you need to collect and destroy all packages and used drugs.