In total, there are about 3,000 species of moths in the world, of which approximately 30 are pests. 14 of them live in human homes. To the unenlightened eye they are all similar. However, a professional will immediately find differences in the body structure and color of the wings of butterflies. There are two main groups - food moth and house moth. Food moths are called some types of moths that feed on grocery products - cereals, flour, pasta, confectionery, dried fruits.
What does the house moth, or as it is also called, duffel moth, eat? As the name suggests, she prefers wearable items. Moreover, it uses exclusively natural materials, although in principle it can also damage synthetic fabrics in which a woolen blouse or felt boots are wrapped.
Diet
What does a moth eat? It is worth distinguishing two food groups. The first includes direct food at home. The second includes natural products. The clothes parasite lays eggs in the nests of birds and rodents.
The larvae feed on fur or feathers shed by birds and animals. Under such conditions, their life cycle can significantly increase, since due to the lack of favorable conditions, the parasites have to overwinter in the form of pupae.
In the wild, food moths love nuts and seeds. Usually the parasite finds them in the clutches of forest dwellers.
Insects are more comfortable in the house, since in addition to favorable temperature conditions, there is always cotton or woolen fabric, cereals, nuts, and tea in the home.
Cotton moth
This species is a dangerous agricultural pest. The bollworm destroys cotton plantations in India and China, South America and Australia. Caterpillars damage flowers, buds and green boxes. As a result, these parts of the plant dry out and fall off. If the pest settles in a mature boll, the cotton fiber becomes unsuitable for industrial production.
Close relatives of the cotton moth are the bollworm, soybean moth, corn moth, acacia moth, and cabbage moth.
Representatives of this family can be found in the country house or in the garden. Butterflies lay eggs on rose bushes, corn cobs, and tomato leaves. If pest control is not started on time, the armyworm population can destroy the entire tomato crop or all the buds of a rose bush.
What to eat in the apartment
What do moths eat in a residential apartment? She primarily follows her diet and can eat both clothes and food. It depends on the type of parasite. The food species loves all bulk products, while the clothing species lives on natural fabrics.
There are no strict restrictions in the class, therefore, having destroyed one type of tissue or cereal, the parasite is mistaken for another.
Favorable apartment conditions allow insects to actively develop and reproduce. Therefore, moths strive to get into the living space from the external environment and can even enter through a window.
The difference between moths and butterflies
Butterflies feed on nectar, so they have a proboscis with which they reach the aromatic nectaries of plants. Moths do not have it, since adult individuals live off what was accumulated in the larval stage.
Stages of development:
- egg laying;
- formation of larvae;
- transition of larvae to pupae;
- appearance of butterflies.
At one time, a moth can lay up to 350 eggs. The larvae appear after about 20 days, depending on the ambient temperature. They eat everything very actively, which causes irreparable harm. After about 35-50 days, the larva spins a cocoon and turns into a pupa. After 1 - 4 weeks, a butterfly appears. An adult moth lives from 7 to 14 days. The reproduction cycle, under favorable conditions, occurs all year round.
What do food moths like in the kitchen?
The food moth feels like a real mistress in the kitchen and quickly infects all the products it likes. The group of these parasites includes granary, grain, and rye moths.
Their diet mainly consists of flour, cereals, and pasta. Some indoor parasites prefer dried fruits, nuts and confectionery.
Insects can be detected by cobwebs in bags, sticky cereals, passages in candy, the presence of dried skins, when larvae or butterflies themselves are detected.
How are moths dangerous for humans?
In human housing, there are mainly two types of moths, one of which settles in the kitchen and prefers to eat various cereals, the second gives its preference to natural fabrics.
Grain or food moths not only consume food, but also clog them with the remains of cocoons or their excrement. Such food becomes unsuitable. It is much worse if such a pest has settled in a large warehouse, where, thanks to favorable conditions, it can cause significant financial harm.
In wardrobes, white and gray pests appear a little less frequently. But their food preferences are different. They feed on fabrics and products for the preparation of which natural and artificial fur are used. They contain a component that parasites need for normal development.
What do clothes moths eat in the apartment?
When it comes to things, moths eat more natural fabrics. Insects of the clothing group include woolen, carpet, fur, clothing, and furniture butterflies.
They feed:
- Wool.
- Knitwear.
- Fur coats, sheepskin coats.
- Knitted items: socks, mittens, hats.
- Fur products.
- Carpeting.
- Upholstery of upholstered furniture.
- Products made from feathers and felt.
Clothes moths prefer woolen products and other products made from natural fabrics, but in the absence of food they can switch to synthetics.
Some parasites have become so adapted to the environment that they attack tissues that contain particles of fallen human epidermis after prolonged wear.
Most insects hide well and it is possible to identify what moths feed on in the house only by examining all the cabinets and potential nesting sites. In one day, the larva can eat a large hole in the owner's favorite thing.
Upon examination, suspicion should be raised by things containing holes, eaten fur hairs, cocoons, passages, skins of parasites, caterpillars.
Interesting. Clothes moth larvae weave a house around themselves from lint and eaten food debris. They use their own saliva to secure the structure. When moving to another place, the larva pulls its house with it, pulling itself up on its front legs.
Food pest and fur coat
Clothes moth
Many housewives who notice a butterfly in the kitchen cabinet begin to worry about whether food moths can eat clothes. If you notice butterflies of food representatives of the moth, then you don’t have to worry about cashmere coats and fur coats - this insect only eats our food. The moth enzymes that break down the product are too “weak” and cannot cope with thick fibers. Clothes are damaged by a completely different type of insect - clothing insects. In order not to worry about whether food moths are eating your clothes, the contents of the closet should be carefully sorted out and ventilated for prevention. At the end of the procedure, place pest repellers in the closet and outerwear covers.
What do adults eat?
Having figured out how the larva eats, the question arises of what an individual adult moth eats. Despite the widespread belief that it is harmful, the butterfly is not capable of damaging food and things, since it does not have a developed feeding apparatus.
The most significant damage occurs in egg laying. It turns out that only moth larvae eat, and adult moths contribute to the reproduction of offspring.
Underdevelopment of the proboscis and intestines at the butterfly stage reduces the lifespan of the insect to 15-30 days. An adult moth is able to feed on the reserve fat accumulated during the caterpillar stage, and at the end of it, on its own muscles, thereby shortening its lifespan.
It is because of this that at the end of life the mass of the parasite is 2 times less. If the female carries eggs, then the duration of existence does not exceed 14 days. At the same time, males are able to live up to 1 month.
If moths start eating your fur coat, what to do - ways to get rid of moths
If the fur already has traces of the presence of this insect, then the following should be done:
1. Shake out the fur coat well - the larva does not stick well to clothing, so often you can simply shake it off;
2. If the weather is hot and sunny outside, then this item of clothing can and should be hung on the balcony or outside. This will force the pest to stop activity, that is, in the sun, which it is afraid of, it does not eat, but hides in a cocoon made of fur, feces, the fur variety of the pest always weaves it. This will at least make it possible to buy an effective chemical to quickly remove the larvae, and often allows you to destroy them altogether;
3. Next you need to do the following: buy a spray (Raptor, Antimol, Armol), as well as a cover for a fur coat (Raptor, etc.);
4. Treat the fur coat with the purchased spray and place it in a case, which can also be treated from the inside.
Such actions will save the mink and other fur, but such a reaction is always somewhat delayed, since there are many methods of prevention that can be used even before the start of eating the fur coat.
What does a moth look like that eats a fur coat?
The individual that eats clothing, including fur coats, is a larva, it is small in size and people almost never see it. But you need to be wary if any flying individual of this species is discovered, as this indicates that reproduction is taking place and in just a few days a new generation of larvae may begin to appear in the closet.
Since more than one type of pest eats fur coats (which can be seen in the photo), the appearance of the flying individuals that catch the eye of a person is different. But with a few exceptions, it is usually a small, inconspicuous insect (up to a centimeter), which can be identified by its folded wings, which form a triangle.
It is unlikely that a person will be able to more accurately determine the species, but any signal about the presence of a moth is enough to put a tangerine peel in the pockets of a fur coat, take the product itself 2-3 days into the sun (if it’s summer) or into a ten-degree frost for a day or two . After that, you need to spray the fur coat with a spray (Antimol, Raptor) and hide it in a cover made of natural fabric, which is made by manufacturers of pest control products, for example, the same Raptor.
Danger to humans
Knowing about the ability of moths to damage natural fabrics and food, you should carefully approach the choice of goods when purchasing.
Not all suppliers guarantee the quality of the product; cereals on store shelves may contain parasite larvae, and if the clan penetrates into a home, it will quickly begin to reproduce in favorable temperature conditions.
If you eat affected cereal, then in addition to the larvae in the plate, you can get severe poisoning. The fact is that at the site of parasite production, traces of their vital activity, skins and feces remain.
If the remains are consumed, they can cause intoxication and an allergic reaction in humans.
Therefore, to avoid ending up in a hospital in serious condition after eating cheap cereal, contaminated bags should be disposed of.
Video
food moth
Reasons for appearance
The moth is different in that it can appear in a home where cleanliness and order are maintained. Some housewives believe that they are not to blame for the appearance of moths in the apartment. Actually this is not true. Despite cleanliness and order, these insects are attracted by completely different factors, such as the presence of freely available bulk food or the presence of knitted items made from wool and other natural ingredients. Often, housewives do not pay due attention to the process of storing these components.
Moths can enter a home:
- Through open doors and windows.
- From the entrance, if they live in other apartments.
- With used furniture.
- Through cracks, air vents.
- With used things.
- With food purchased in a supermarket or market.
Fighting methods
There is no point in hiding things in plastic bags, since the larvae are able to gnaw passages even in several layers of material in order to penetrate to the food source. They hunt mainly in the dark.
Having understood what moths eat in the apartment and when they eat, you need to choose the right drug to kill them:
- Among home methods, repelling with aromatic herbs is widely used. This does not kill the larvae, but forces adult parasites to look for a new home. The aromas of lavender, wormwood, tansy, rosemary, and geranium are effective. Bunches of herbs are made and hung in the cabinet with the supposed enemy.
- Due to the fear of low and high temperatures, people have a chance to eliminate the problem by steaming and freezing things.
- Moths do not like citrus fruits. Therefore, the crusts laid out in the apartment act as a deterrent, like aromatic herbs.
- If an insect has settled in the kitchen, then it is necessary to carefully sort through all supplies and dispose of contaminated cereals. After this, all cabinets are washed with a solution of vinegar and laundry soap. After disinfection and airing, the remaining products are poured into glass containers and tightly closed with lids.
- When fighting moths, you can use products against cockroaches and other domestic parasites. But since they are quite toxic, it is better to first try to eliminate the problem using more gentle methods. Another means of control are moth traps; they are hung inside the cabinets where the parasite lives.
Prevention
To prevent the parasite from infesting walnuts or damaging your coat, fur coat hair, or books, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures at regular intervals.
- Next to window openings and ventilation ducts, where the parasite comes from, bags filled with aromatic and natural plants are placed. For food and clothes moths, the odor emitted by geranium or wormwood is unpleasant.
- Peels of lemon and other citrus fruits are suitable for repelling. Since the strong aroma comes from fresh peels, they should be changed periodically.
- A solution containing vinegar or aromatic composition is used to clean kitchen units, cabinets and tables.
- Lavender extract, orange or grapefruit essential oil are suitable for repelling.
- Many people have seen how a moth eats a piece of fur. Therefore, in wardrobes where fur coats or cashmere coats are stored, aromatic herbs and fumigators should be placed.
Carrying out preventive measures is much easier than actively combating spreading pests.
Preventive measures
As part of preventive measures, it is recommended to follow a few simple rules.
- You should not purchase large quantities of grocery products for future use, especially flour, cereals and pasta.
- When purchasing, you should carefully check the strength of the packaging and the condition of the product. The presence of fine dust and debris may be a sign of infection.
- After purchasing, it makes sense to pour the product into sealed containers for storage.
- Aromatic herbs, spices and garlic cloves on the shelves will repel butterflies from the products.
- Regular ventilation of the room will also serve as a useful preventative measure, since moths do not tolerate drafts well.
- It is effective for timely detection of moths to regularly inspect food supplies and clean cupboards.
Chemicals against kitchen moths
When deciding how to quickly get rid of food moths, you should pay attention to modern chemicals that have a targeted effect against the pest at any stage of its life cycle.
Active drugs can be divided into two types:
- insecticides that can destroy the pest;
- repellents aimed at scaring away adults capable of laying eggs.
