Moth Larvae Eating Your Clothes?
I’m sure everyone can relate to finding their favourite sweater has been eaten by the dreaded clothes moth. An adult clothes moth won’t do any harm to your clothes, it's the larvae that do the damage.
March is the beginning of the moth breeding season. Adult clothes moths only live for around one month. Their sole purpose is to mate and for the female to lay eggs. She lays the eggs on natural fibre fabrics like cashmere, wool, fur, silk and cotton. This could be your clothes, soft furnishings or carpet. They do not eat anything during their short life as an adult. The eggs hatch into larvae and it's the larvae that eat your clothes. A female can lay between 50 and 1,000 eggs at one time. The larvae pupate and then turn into adult clothes moths, which completes the cycle. From the presence of adult clothes moths to the start of the damage to your clothes, it could be as little as 4 - 6 weeks.
Moths feed on the protein keratin which is found in natural fibres. Keratin is also present in food residues and bodily secretions like sweat as well as human hair and skin cells, which we shed on the clothes we wear. Dust provides a source of keratin too. It consists of outdoor particles like soil, as well as skin, hair and pet dander.
Cleanliness is the first step in eliminating moths. Keeping things clean eliminates their food source. Put clean clothes away and regularly vacuum, including inside your wardrobe. Store your clothes in storage bags. Do not store clothes in plastic box containers as fabrics cannot breathe and may become mouldy. Clothes moths love dark enclosed spaces like attics, wardrobes and drawers.
Adult clothes moths are repelled by strong aromas. The ancient Greeks put lavender between their sheets to ward off insects. The Romans used a range of herbs including lavender, rosemary and laurel. In India, dried patchouli was packed away with silks to prevent clothes moths from damaging the silks in storage and export.
There are things you can do to help with eliminating the dreaded clothes moth. Grandma’s used terrible smelling mothballs. The traditional active ingredient was Naphthalene. There were serious concerns over its safety and it was prohibited for use in pesticides in 2008.
A moth box has been designed to stop the breeding cycle. The box attracts the male moths onto the female pheromone impregnated adhesive strop which traps and ultimately kills them. Place the box inside your wardrobe.
A natural, eco-friendly alternative is cedarwood. There are cedarwood hangers, balls and rings which you attach to your hangers. Lavender scented sachets, a spray for carpets and fabrics, natural fragrance bags filled with a blend of lavender, patchouli, lemongrass and eucalyptus, a far cry from the never forgotten smell of the traditional mothball.