Help! Moths everywhere!

amother

Sienna

Wed, May 27 2015, 4:54 am

We had severe weather here last night, thunderstorms with heavy rain, lightening and hail. I don't know if this is related to the storms, but this morning I am seeing moths everywhere, ugh...
I picked up the shade and found a couple flying by the window, then saw one parked on the wall in the kitchen. I am at my wits end. Does anyone know what is bringing them, and also how I can get rid of them as quickly as possible. I hate moths. Help!

amother

Brunette

Thu, May 28 2015, 3:08 pm

Smash them with a flyswatter, newspaper or tissue box. Approach slowly from above till you're within a few inches, then--wham! If they're from the outside, they were probably attracted to the light when it was dark outside. This is not an infestation and eventually they'll fly back out .
Check your pantry. If they're coming from there, take out everything from the pantry, wash down every surface with disinfecting cleaner, dry thoroughly. Check every package before you put it back, especially cereals and grains. If they show signs of infestation, throw out. If not infested, take grain, crackers and cereals out of cardboard, paper or cellophane packages and store in sturdy containers of plastic, metal or glass. Also Google on "getting rid of pantry moths" and "repelling pantry moths".
Moths can also come from stored clothing, especially woolens and especially if put away dirty, I.e. with residue of food or sweat and body oil. Check your closets. If they're from there, you'll have to do to the closet what you did to the pantry, and launder or dry clean everything. Next time. never store anything without first washing or dry cleaning it, even if you wore it only once.

Miri1

Thu, May 28 2015, 9:35 pm

It's hard to get rid of pantry moths. This is what we did:
Vacuum them up
Get these pheremone releasing cardboard containers for kitchen cupboards.
Remove ALL opened grains, flour, pasta, dried fruit, spices, SESAME etc. from cupboards- either store in freezer, or completely get rid of them. It's hard to trace them, and they make themselves at home... I threw everything out.

If they're clothing moths:
Don't store clothing in sealed plastic, better for it to air out.
Always clean sweaters etc. before storing them for the summer.
Good idea at some point during the summer to air out the clothing in the sunlight.

Hatzlacha!!

FranticFrummie

Thu, May 28 2015, 11:16 pm

If you have pantry moths, you have my deepest sympathies. I've been battling them for a few years now, and I always miss a few, who come back and reproduce like crazy.

First, you need to clean your house Pesach style, and check EVERYTHING. Look for tiny chewed holes or cobwebs on the bottoms of all of your food containers. Rinse off all cans. Moths will lay eggs in any small, hidden space they can get to.

Disinfect your cabinets inside and out with bleach or bug spray, and make sure to soak deep into any seams and corners where the eggs may hide.

Get moth traps, the sticky kind that has the female moth scent in them. It will only trap the males, but it will cut things down considerably. You'll be disgusted at how quickly they fill up, and you'll realize how many moths are around that you haven't been seeing. Buy the traps by the case, and renew them every month.

Do all the above every single month, for at least the next 6 months. You have to realize that you can bring moth eggs in, in packages from the grocery store. If you are finding them again after you thought they were all clear, it's probably not because you failed, but because they are EVERYWHERE, and they might have been reintroduced. All it takes is one pregnant moth to fly in the window, and you're back to square one. Sad

moonstone

Thu, May 28 2015, 11:42 pm

Ugh, I hate moths with a passion! In addition to thoroughly cleaning out your pantry and not keeping bags of grains, rice, etc there (the little ****s chew through the bags!), spread some Bay leaves around. I read that tip online, and decided it couldn't hurt to try. It does seem to have helped.