The appearance of the black mile in the apartment. How moths get into an apartment and why they appear in food. Life cycle of moths, reproduction, stages of development. Methods to combat black moths. Treatment with specialized chemicals and folk remedies. Tips and tricks for pest control.
There are a huge number of pests that can cause enormous damage to food. One such pest is the black moth. Every housewife tries to keep the kitchen clean and protect food supplies from insects, but despite this, the pest is able to penetrate cereals and other bulk products.
Moths multiply quickly, so if you discover an infestation, you must take immediate action. Next, we will take a closer look at this pest and learn about effective control methods.
Description of the insect
It’s worth saying right away that these small moths can cause enormous damage to food supplies. Males pose absolutely no danger because they do not feed on food supplies. Females lay eggs, from which larvae emerge, which are dangerous for the stock. The body of the moth is covered with small scales; the wingspan is 7-30 mm.
For laying eggs, females choose a dark and warm place where the sun's rays do not reach. The eggs hatch into larvae that cause damage. They need regular nutrition; they can eat cereals, bulk products, and dried fruits.
The larvae are similar in appearance to small worms, their body length does not exceed 1 cm, and they have a dark head. The life cycle of these moths consists of the following stages of development:
- Eggs.
- Larvae.
- Pupae.
- Adults.
These insects belong to the lepidoptera of the butterfly family. Moths have a rich black body and wings. Pest larvae are found in cereals, dried fruits and bulk products. They can easily damage plastic or paper packaging and penetrate into the middle. The lifespan of this moth is 21 days.
The moths flying around the apartment are male, but there may also be female moths looking for a partner to mate with. After mating, the female goes to a secluded place to lay eggs.
From the moment of mating to the laying of eggs, 4 days pass. The place where the offspring will grow is located next to the food. If the conditions in the room are favorable, namely warmth and sufficient humidity, then the eggs mature very quickly. The larvae do not tolerate high temperatures, at +50° they die, as well as cold temperatures, at a temperature of -10° they will also die.
What other procedures should be performed
- Black moths do not tolerate fresh air, so the room should be ventilated frequently.
- Since the parasite can live in furniture or carpets, they should be treated carefully.
- Don't forget about the baseboards.
- Vacuum dark corners and crevices.
- The larvae can also be located inside lampshades or in the corners of windows.
Another good way to get rid of insects is ultraviolet irradiation. Also, moths do not tolerate vibrations and noise, so you should shake out and knock out infected things. The sun's rays also cause severe damage - the black moth dies under their influence within an hour.
The pest does not tolerate too low or too high temperatures. Therefore, the larvae can be heated or frozen. At low temperatures, the eggs will die within 24 hours.
Black moth
These insects do not appear in the apartment during the day; activity begins closer to night. They are small in size and have narrow wings. When the moth is in its nest, it folds its wings. Adults lack a proboscis.
Females lay eggs that are silver in color. The eggs hatch into larvae and then enter the pupal stage. When the caterpillars are in cereals, they infect them with their waste products.
May be found in cereals, nuts, dried mushrooms, and nuts. The larvae have a very powerful oral apparatus, which allows them to easily cope with hard nut shells.
Reviews and comments
0 Vera 08/22/2015 20:10 Don’t bother with cereals spoiled by moths: give them to the birds! Fighting moths in the kitchen is not difficult. Once a month, I take out all the grains in their cupboard, thoroughly wash the inside of the cupboard, let it dry, and put everything back. And periodically I spray dichlorvos in the corners of the kitchen, under cabinets, behind the refrigerator, so that no one gets there.
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0 Margarita 09/08/2015 12:08 I agree with Vera that there is no point in bothering with already spoiled cereals. The best thing to do, of course, is not to make large stocks of dry foods at all. It seems like we are living in a time of famine... I also had black moths in my house a couple of times. To get rid of it, I found a nest of insects and threw it out. The remaining individuals were destroyed one by one.
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0 Ksyusha Vesna 09.24.2015 17:46 How lucky I was to visit this site. I can't get rid of these parasites. It seems like I’m throwing everything away, but they’re right there again. It surprises me, okay, they’re already in cereals and flour, but they’re even in peas. These moths gnawed through the plastic bags with breadcrumbs. I'll try adding garlic, maybe it will help. But, regarding chemical agents, it’s somehow scary, after all, they will be located near the products. Tell me, is it worth it to be afraid?
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0 Veronica 10/05/2017 11:26 Finally I found out what kind of crap I had.
I threw out all the food, but it comes back from somewhere, most likely brought from the south with seasonings and dried fruits. I've never seen such rubbish before Quote
Large black moth
These representatives do not live in residential premises, so they are not found in apartments. They can be found in apiaries where bee products are collected and bees are bred. These are quite large individuals, the dimensions of which reach 18-38 mm.
The larvae, on the contrary, are very small, so they are difficult to detect, no more than 1.5 cm. Females lay eggs in beehives. The larva's diet consists of wax. Females and males do not feed at all, since the oral apparatus and digestive organs have defects. The lifespan of a male is 26 days, but females live much shorter, only 12 days.
Signs of appearance
The pest may not be immediately noticed; it camouflages itself very well. But some characteristic signs of the appearance of moths are still present from the first days, and subsequently they become more and more noticeable:
- Small gray-brown butterflies appeared chaotically flying in the kitchen and adjacent rooms. At first these are isolated cases, but if measures are not taken, they become more numerous. In addition to flying through the air, they can also be seen in bulk products, where they climb to lay eggs. They are clearly visible in light-colored flour and cereals.
- Inside kitchen cabinets, in corners, cracks, and sometimes just on the wall, small transparent white worms with a dark head - moth larvae - crawl. They can also be seen in food containers.
- In cereals or other similar products, cobwebs or small lumps of grains, dust and cobwebs with a worm inside have appeared - cocoons from which an adult individual emerges.
If at least one of these signs is noticed, it is necessary to act immediately, without waiting for the time when all the supplies in the kitchen are infected with this parasite.
Black and white moth
These representatives prefer grain crops and have small body sizes of about 9 mm. Maximum activity of females occurs in spring. Females do not live long, only 2 weeks, during which time they lay approximately 15 eggs.
The period of development and maturation of eggs depends on external factors, temperature and humidity. The approximate ripening period is 28 days. The larvae feed on corn, rye grains, wheat and other crops; they eat away the middle, leaving the husk.
What does the pest eat?
Black moth is a dangerous parasite that destroys a number of foods, among which the most favorite are poorly processed grains, dried apricots, mushrooms and nuts.
Pests, as a result of their feeding, leave traces of vital activity on spoiled food, which renders the food unsuitable for further use. The black moth deforms the grain shell and destroys endosperms and embryos.
This type of parasite prefers to live inside chocolates, seasonings that are used as a spice to improve the smell and taste of food, loose tea, and crackers. It is worth noting that in the bags where grain is stored, the moth weaves a web in layers reaching a depth of 10 centimeters.
Where does it come from in the house
Insects settle in residential premises if contaminated cereals are brought into the house. A careful inspection of flour and cereals is required before making a purchase. If small lumps can be observed, this most likely indicates the presence of parasites; such cereals are not suitable for use as food.
Very often, black moths fly inside an apartment or house through open windows. Penetration into the room through ventilation holes is also often observed.
To eliminate the risk of pests entering the house, ensure the presence of special grilles that cover ventilation inlets, as well as mosquito nets on the windows. Black moths are a parasite whose colony can destroy an entire food supply in just 60 days.
Damage caused
If a voracious pest appears in your apartment, look through muesli, cereals, dried fruits, oatmeal, and seasonings. Insect eggs resemble cobwebs. The larvae have a black head and are approximately 1 centimeter in size.
If you find affected supplies, dispose of them immediately. It is impossible to save them, and the moth will instantly spread to all products, even those stored in closed containers. Black moths cannot get into containers made of metal or glass.
Fighting methods
If an infestation is detected, it is necessary to resort to effective control as soon as possible, since they multiply very quickly and within a short period of time there will be a huge population of pests in the apartment. The fight against black moths can be carried out using specialized chemicals or folk remedies.
It is worth saying that chemical drugs are the most powerful and allow you to get rid of moths in a few days, but as a rule they contain toxic substances, so many prefer to use safe folk remedies. If you use the drugs correctly in compliance with all safety measures, they will not cause harm to your health.
Favorite places
There are places and foods in the kitchen that insects really like. Such places include:
Various cereals. The insect prefers cereals such as buckwheat, corn, rice, rye, oats, legumes and others. Sometimes it is found in small, portioned bags of cereals and cereals.- Dried fruits.
- If this insect has been bothering you for a long time, most likely they have settled in hard-to-reach places, for example: under a windowsill, under or behind furniture, in equipment that has been inoperative for a long time.
- There are also foods that moths do not eat, but live in containers with them (soda, salt), for this reason, when cleaning the kitchen, pay attention to these foods.
Under no circumstances should you become hysterical or panic when you find a pest in your kitchen. Gather your strength into a fist and act.
Folk remedies
If we talk about the benefits of folk remedies, it is worth noting the availability and low price, since most recipes include substances that every housewife can find. In addition, they are completely safe for people and pets.
Cedar has a very rich and bright aroma that is not tolerated by moths. In places where pests are spotted, tree bark or cuttings are laid out. Essential oil also shows high effectiveness; it can be applied to cotton pads and placed on closet shelves.
Laundry soap shows good results. It can be used when treating cabinet shelves, as well as placing small pieces of soap in cabinets. They also use camphor oil, walnut leaves,
Garlic cloves placed in a container with cereal repel parasites with a pungent odor. To combat moths, use walnut leaves, camphor essential oil and garlic, which has a rich aroma.
How to fight?
Getting rid of clothes moths is more difficult than getting rid of food moths. There are a number of steps you need to take:
- Carefully inspect the contents of the cabinets for the presence of eggs, larvae, cocoons, and lesions on the products. Remove detected pests.
- Wash dirty items at the maximum permissible temperature and iron with a hot iron.
- Items that cannot be cleaned at home should be dry cleaned.
- Hats and fur items should be hung out in the cold or in direct sunlight, depending on the season.
- Carefully inspect the cabinet, wash it with laundry soap, wipe it with vinegar, trying not to miss the most inaccessible places. Ventilate.
- Treat the cabinet with anti-moth preparations.
Additionally, it is recommended to place sachets with anti-moth herbs or cotton swabs with essential oils among your clothes.
Chemicals
Nowadays there is a wide range of different drugs on sale that can be purchased in the form of sprays, aerosols, tablets, fumigators, traps, plates, etc. Fumigators DIK-3 and DIK-6 are very popular. The mechanism of action of fumigators is as follows: when plugged into an outlet, the substance heats up and toxic fumes destroy pests.
Aerosols are among the most effective forms of release, since they contain powerful toxic substances. But when using them, it is very important to follow the instructions and follow safety precautions.
Before you begin processing, you need to clean all surfaces, remove dishes, and put food in bags or containers.
There should be no people or animals in the apartment during processing, only those who carry out the procedure and use personal protective equipment. After treatment, you must leave the room, and upon returning, thoroughly ventilate and wash the surfaces on which the drug may be located.
The most popular drugs include Raptor, Armol, PRDR CLAUS, which have proven their effectiveness. The advantage is that these aerosols do not have an unpleasant and pungent odor. The Delicia Mottenschutz bait is also very popular.
Preventive actions
It should be understood that it will not be possible to completely protect your apartment and products from pests, since the routes of infection do not allow the use of effective protection. But it is possible to apply preventive measures that minimize the risk of infection.
It is necessary to close the ventilation holes with grilles that have a fine mesh. After getting rid of the moths, you need to carefully inspect all the cereals and throw out the infestation. Wash cabinets using laundry soap, vinegar, baking soda or other products. When purchasing cereals, flour, nuts, dried fruits, be sure to inspect them for contamination.
You can put garlic cloves, bay leaves, wormwood sprigs, and lavender on the cabinet shelves, which are an ideal preventative. Ventilate cabinets and conduct inspections more often. If you suspect an infection, you can heat cereals, nuts, and dried fruits in the oven.
