As the economy reopens and Summer is just around the corner, London Network for Pest Solutions is warning people to be on the lookout for infestations of clothes moths.

It’s the day you’ve been waiting months for; you can finally leave your home and meet up with friends at a favourite pub. It’s not just a great excuse to forget the pandemic for a bit, it’s also a chance to dress up in a way that hasn’t really been necessary while the world socialised on Zoom. You go to your carefully folded pile of cashmere jumpers and choose your favourite. You put it on. Look at yourself in the mirror. Then you see it…small holes.

This could well be the work of the clothes moth. More accurately, this is evidence of the larvae of clothes moths. Adult moths don’t normally feed, but the same can’t be said for their young. Textile moth larvae feast on keratin, a natural protein found in hair and skin particles. Keratin is also found in several other natural materials used in clothing and home textiles, such as wool, cotton, silk and leather.

Managing Director Paul Cooper: “It’s something many of us have experienced. You get your favourite jumper out for a special occasion, only to find there is a hole in it. You’ve never seen a moth or larva, but suddenly your garment is ruined.”

What Should You Look For?

“In many cases, the only thing you’ll see is the damage. We’ve seen carpets under couches and beds with fairly large amounts of damage, whole wardrobes of ruined clothes and curtains and tapestries with missing fibres. Often, the owner has seen nothing.”

Other signs of a problem include your wardrobe smelling musty and the cocoons the larvae discard just before it gets to work on your textiles.

Stopping Moths Damaging Your Textiles

Prevention is better than cure. By the time you’ve noticed the problem, you’ve probably already lost an item of clothing.

However, here are some simple steps you can follow to try to stop the moths:

• Keep your clothes, homes and wardrobes clean. Regularly vacuum under beds, couches, etc. to remove eggs
• Wash your clothes before storage. It will remove the human hair and bodily fluids that attract moths
• Pack clothes in airtight containers for long-term storage
• Ventilation – moths want their young to be left alone. If you ventilate and disturb them, they will lay their eggs elsewhere
• Use cedar, lavender, bay, thyme and rosemary – they have (limited) natural repelling properties

If you find you have a serious moth infestation, professional pest control companies like London Network for Pest Solutions have a range of solutions to help you remove the problem. Treatments start at £165 and include unlimited follow-up visits (subject to T&Cs).

London Network for Pest Solutions has the expertise to deal with your moth problems quickly, safely, and discreetly. If you have a problem, call us on 020 8430 4133 or email here.

To download our leaflet on moths, click here.

    Moth Cocoons (image A Christie)

    Moth Larvae (image A Christie)

Main image by leks from Pixabay