Anyone got moths in ED?

[macker]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone else in ED has new moth companions in their houses. These are the little clothes-eating ones. I knew we had a problem when child asked to be taken to see the family moth collection! If anyone else has or had them, how did you get them to move on (preferably at least to Camberwell or perhaps even further afield)?

[Asset]

I've got them, had them for years and they have destroyed many valuable items the little bastards. Very difficult to eradicate.

If they are in a wardrobe, take everything out wash it or dry clean it and scrub inside of cupboard thoroughly. I've done that and use mothballs but still have them.

[snoozequeen1]

Sadly their best friends are bare floorboards. That's where they lurk, not just in the cracks but underneath.

They are very difficult to eradicate but you can do it if you cover over the bare boards for a few years, never ever leave anything with natural fibres out, change your curtains to (non fabric) blinds, and sadly, never buy anything second hand again (Nunhead to ED translation: vintage) that you're not prepared to have dry cleaned first (not just wash thoroughly - they can survive everything but boiling water).

[Asset]

they also love wool carpets

[woodie]

the moth attack has escalalted in this house. we noticed recently theres more than before.

[katietatie]

We've had them in our kitchen cupboards - they're big fans of dry cat food apparently. Not nice.

[snoozequeen1]

Asset Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> they also love wool carpets

Too true (sob). I should have put - cover up the boards with something impermeable. Also, it's not time to be an optimist. They really seem to take a few years to get rid of, just because you don't see them it don't mean they're not there.

They also seem to love Victorian plasterwork to lurk in. Anywhere out of the way that you don't dust weekly, in fact. A bit tough if you are strapped for dusting time and energy and not keen on employing East Europeans as domestic slave labour.

[macker]

So in summary so far:

bare floorboards -> you're hosed

carpets -> you're hosed

clothes -> you're hosed

victorian housing stock -> you're hosed

mothballs -> your clothes all smell, and btw you're still hosed

Anyone got anything cheery to add? I never saw my moths before this year and I don't remember inviting them in on second hand clothes or laying down carpets or leaving dirty linen (literally) around.

Incidentally I don't think the food eating moths (mealy moths) are the same as the clothes ones.

[macroban]

Hair spray does nasty things to a moth's breathing apparatus.

[snoozequeen1]

macker Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> So in summary so far:

>

> bare floorboards -> you're hosed

> carpets -> you're hosed

> clothes -> you're hosed

> victorian housing stock -> you're hosed

> mothballs -> your clothes all smell, and btw

> you're still hosed

>

> Anyone got anything cheery to add?

I don't know that this is cheery but it's not all clothes. Just the ones you love and prize, ie linen, silk, wool, cotton. They don't eat most synthetics and some treated materials. Curtains that were heavy linen but had been treated with Scothguard or something similar by the manufacturer, survived intact. Heat retaining blackout linings, were heavily munched, even though I thought they were both synthetic and treated.

Incidentally I was told that using an old carpet beater on your rugs was better than the best vac for moth-clearing, but I wasn't able to buy one anywhere.

If anyone knows where you can buy one of these would still be v grateful to hear. Although I'm not sure if anyone under 35? will even know what a carpet-beater is.

[SteveT]

I have had them for a few years as the death marks will testify, splats all over the walls.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Food moths definitely different to clothes moths. See "Dulwichdivorcee"'s blog.

[????]

Henslowe Road is riddled with them, but Fellbrigg is moth free

[TheePope]

A friend had the clothes eating moth problem but seems to have solved it by

a) getting a pest controller to come and do whatever they do with an evil moth killing spray, needed about 3 applications

b) putting all her clothes in a chest freezer for a few days to kill any of the buggers left, semms a bit mad but it's cheaper than dry cleaning and best of all it worked

[standswithfist]

what would be the best thing to put woollens and silk clothes in - as in what type of packaging to protect it from moths - does anyone know?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

pretty sure John Lewis/Peter Jones have a section on storage - maybe have a look at their websites.

[WorriedMum]

We had our first problem with them last summer. Bought some pheromone traps on eBay which work quite well. The chemical attracts the males which get stuck to the sticky trap. This stopped them multiplying as quickly although it didn't completely eradicate them. Also heavily spraying rooms with moth killer and leaving doors and windows closed for a while has some effect. I'll add a link to a Times article below. It's quite depressing reading - unfortunately once you've got them, you'll probably never be completely rid of them.

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article2229637.ece

[WorriedMum]

Just to add to my earlier post, we haven't noticed any clothes damage but they are destroying our carpets, particularly in dark, hard to reach places, like under the wardrobes. They are more attracted to unwashed clothes and seem to hang around the shoes and coats which are obviously not washed as regularly. Suits would also need protecting.

[*Bob*]

Mrs *Bob* keeps complaining about me spending too much time on the computer and of 'having moths in her box'.

Is this related to the ED moth problem, or something else?

[Cassius]

Had the problem off and on for a couple of years - I find that mothballs do work in the short run although you have to put up with the jibes about how bad you smell.

Squishing them is also very therapeutic.

[KalamityKel]

Ooooh I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice a slight increase of invasion recently.

We don't usually suffer the bliters but these few weeks my furry monsters have taken great in chasing, catching and chewing them. I just assumed it's due to all the building work we're currently doing - waking them out of their little hidy holes as it were...

Are we doomed?

[Sue]

OMG I've never had them before, and I use cedarwood blocks (which are supposed to be a moth deterrent) in my wardrobe, but the other day one flew out of a hamper where I'd stored some jumpers.

Is this the start of an invasion ??????

:-S

[Burbage]

I had an infestation of moths a few years ago. They can hide away in just about anything and are almost impossible to eradicate either chemically or mechanically. I tried cedarwood lumps, mothballs and lemon-scented candles to not much avail. Anyhow, the damage is done by the larvae, so by the time you notice them flying about, it's too late.

They do have two weaknesses, though. They aren't imune to spiders, and they are picky eaters. Since I converted my wardrobe to polyester and gave up dusting, I've had no problems.

[candj]

This is all so depressing if a moth invasion is in the works. I've been lucky to keep the little buggers away in the past by having all jumpers, coats, suits cleaned before storage (dry cleaning, washing machine, whatever you do to clean your clothes). After, cashmere sweaters are stored in separate bags and garment bags go over anything that is hanging and not being worn for a season. I also use cedar blocks which are good at keeping things dry and they don't smell as vile as moth balls. If they start attacking my curtains and rugs, I'll have to move into an igloo as I wouldn't know what to do...

[Cassius]

Where does one get cedar blocks?