Home Hack : How To Get Rid Of Moths Naturally Quickly
Moths can be really annoying and bothersome.While they arent actually harmful to humans, theyre notorious for damagingexpensive wool and cashmere clothing and consuming food items. Well cover whatyou need to know on how to get rid of moths naturally with a few simplesolutions.
There are different types of moths, but nearlyall are drawn to dark, humid spaces. The most common problem associated withmoth infestations are the ones you find in your home. You may find them in yourpantry or making a meal of your clothes. Then you have the moths that arebothersome outdoors. These can be a pest for outdoor gatherings after dark andpose a threat to gardens.
The adult moths arent actually the mainconcern, however. Its the larvae that feast on natural fabrics, food in yourpantry, and even your plants. Moths are nocturnal and will find dark, warmplaces to lay their eggs which then go to town on nearly anything. Here aresome effective methods on how to get rid of moths naturally inside and aroundyour home.
Lifecycle of A Moth
Treatments To Kill Sod Webworms In Your Lawn
Sod webworms are not a problem at our farm generally. These moths are in your flower beds and are hanging out in yards around. Theyre particularly attracted to new, tender, healthy, dark green grass. Guess what? Thats exactly what Houston Grass South delivers.
We come and we put that down in your yard, and these things will move in like its a new, fresh salad bar. They can move in overnight, and if theyre really bad they can wipe out a whole yard in two or three days.
It happens, and in this case youll be able to see that they actually prefer the new, young, tender grass, and in this case too, youll see these things came in, ate all the new, young, tender grass and then left. We only replaced parts of this yard, and you can see the parts that we did not replace are fine. They moved on to something else.
So you can see how that gives us a bad rap. Sometimes people accuse the farm of bringing in sod webworms, when these little moths are all around this area. Theyre not coming from our farm.
These last two summers theyre the worst theyve been in 30 years, because we havent had much of a winter to kill them. They lay over in the thatch layers in the winter. If we dont have much of a severe winter at all, which has been the case the last two summers, they come with a vengeance.
How To Kill Moths In Your Yard
Its easy to prevent clothing moths inside of the home by storing your cashmere and wool clothing in airtight containers with mothballs and repellent sachets or taking them in for dry cleaning.
However, these tactics dont help get rid of outdoor moths. What do moths eat and drink? Knowing the answer to this question helps you know how to get rid of them. Here is how to kill moths in your yard with outdoor lighting.
- Bug zapper
Many insects, including moths, are attracted to lights. Moths see the ultraviolet end of the spectrum, and this is part of the reason they are drawn to outdoor lights. Reducing the number of moths around your home is as simple as turning off the lights.
If you prefer keeping your lights on in the evening, consider replacing fluorescent and incandescent bulbs with yellow bulbs. These lightbulbs are easy to find at many stores and are labeled insect-repellent lights on the packaging.
Place a couple of drops of citronella oil on the bulbs during the day. The oil heats up when the bulb is turned on and repels moths. It may also serve as a homemade bee repellent, too.
Another form of outdoor light that is effective at killing moths is a bug zapper. These units emit an ultraviolet light that attracts insects. An electrical wire mesh grid surrounds the light and electrocutes insects on contact.
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Sod Webworm Control Products
Preventing Future Infestations In Your Closet
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Ways To Get Rid Of Moths
Now the part youve been waiting for: How in the world do you get rid of moths if theyve already infested your home? Here are some top tips for effective moth removal:
Monitoring For Moths In Grass
When you see little brown moths buzzing your lawn, it’s time to check for sod webworms in your St. Augustine grass. Using a homemade drench test is the easiest way to flush out and count the larval pests. Combine 2 to 4 tablespoons of liquid dish soap with 1 gallon of water, advises the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. Using a watering can, evenly sprinkle the solution over 1 square yard of unhealthy lawn area. The soap irritates the caterpillars, and you can typically spot them as they move to a drier location.
Count the number of caterpillars that appear within 10 minutes of drenching the soil. According to the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program , you should treat your lawn only if the drench test flushes out 15 or more moth larvae in each square yard.
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Do Moths Eat Clothes Moth Myth Busting
Before we move on to some detailed information concerning the habitat, food habits and extermination of moths, lets bust some of the popular myths.
Myth 1: Flying moths are dangerous
A moth flying around the room is not dangerous, as it is only males who fly. They have poorly developed mouthparts and no nutritional needs. Their goal is to fertilize females. Males live up to two weeks most often their lifespan is only 8-10 days, after which they die.
Myth 2: Females dont have wings
In fact, female moths do have wings, but they practically dont use them. Males easily find them and fertilize them. Females are harmful not because they eat natural fabric , they lay eggs and produce new moth generations
Myth 3: Moth larvae are harmless until they grow up
This is a very popular and a fundamentally wrong opinion. It is the larvae who immediately damage your property. They eat your fur coats and sweaters, as they have:
- Strong and powerful mandibles which are two outgrowths on their body with which moths cut through fabric and wool fibers
- Strong and large jaws occupying the entire head make it easy to cope with eating textile products
- A giant stomach is a cavity which functions similarly to a human stomach, and occupies over 85% of the body.
Myth 4: Moths can eat your entire fur coat
Myth 5: Clothes moths are attracted to light
Therefore, any bugs flying towards the lamp or laptop light in the dark are very unlikely to be clothes moths.
How Do You Treat A Gypsy Moth Infestation
Fortunately, even though gypsy moths can affect your lawn, the damage caused by an infestation is generally reversible . Indeed, since they feed on the base of the stems and leaves of the lawn, the root of the lawn remains intact, which facilitates treatment.
If you detect the presence of gypsy moths, you must act quickly to reduce the potential damage. If you dont act quickly enough, your lawn may be strewn with yellowish patches and it will be much more difficult to restore it back to its healthy state. It is always recommended that you contact a lawn care expert to determine the most effective and safe treatment to use to eliminate these insects.
Here’s how our certified technicians get rid of your gypsy moth infestation:
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Lawn Moth Vs Other Moths
Since most people cant tell a lawn moth from any other moth its useful to have some ways to identify them.
- Just look for these key indicators to be sure that its a lawn moth:
- Small brown or white moths that hover around the lawn surface
- A zigzag pattern when they fly
- Usually found in small groups
- The same species are always in the same areas of your lawn
- Wings that fold flat when landed
- Found during the spring and summer
- Two long antennae sticking out from the head
- 1 wingspan that points backward when folded
It may be difficult to tell, but if you see the presence of their larvae at night, you can be sure that its a lawn moth problem. The signs of damage are also a giveaway
Do Sod Webworms Eat Plants
Yes, sod webworms are not exclusively grass feeders. They enjoy a bunch of different plants including maize, oats, rye, wheat, and others. It depends on the species.
Most will just eat the grass at the root level. Some eat at the actual grass blade. Different species eat different things.
If you notice lawn moths in your yard, but you dont have any grass, theyre likely eating your plants. There are well over 150 species in this genus. Each one is specialized for a different type of host plant. Thats why theyre so abundant.
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The Best Moth Repellent
If moths at your place dont get repelled by the herbs or cedar sachets in the closet, lets take a look at more effective products.
Despite the manufacturers warning restricting the usage of a spray that were going to talk about below only to the attics, garages, storage spaces and other non-living spaces, some of the brave anti-moth warriors dare using it inside the closets. Well leave it at your conscience. However, in case you store winter wool apparel in a garage or in other non-living clothes-storage areas, rather than in a wardrobe, feel free to use Hot Shot.
Protect Your Lawn And Trees With Hunt Club East
Trees are a prized part of a homes property, providing a beautiful landscape and supplying several great benefits.
It would be a shame to have your beautiful trees get defoliated because of a few pesky caterpillars. Populations of gypsy moths have been skyrocketing, reaching innumerable numbers, which havent been this high in decades.
Our lawn care professionals are here to help you get your lawn back to its prime with our gypsy moth prevention services.
We are dedicated to delivering the best possible results that are sure to put an end to the wreckage and havoc these moths have caused.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our lawn and tree protection services and get a free, no-obligation quote today.
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Migrating Miller Moths ^
Unlike the local problems common throughout the eastern half of the United States, the western half of the country has migratory miller moths. These moths will fly hundreds of miles in the spring and summer moving from lowlands to mountainous peninsulas.
During these migrations, they will magically show up overnight in the yard and on the home. The exact reason for the migration is unclear but they definitely follow a very distinct path. And if your home is in their travel line, youll experience an invasion of sorts which will last 1-3 months.
Typically this happens in the spring to summer months and when theyre on the move, yards can go from zero to thousands of moths overnight. All the while theyll be marking territories leaving their scented pheromones on good locations and travel paths to insure the success of future generations. This means theyll return year and after year to the same yards and homes as they make their annual trek.
How To Treat For Miller Moths ^
Once you start getting moths spending their days roosting on the side of your home, expect to find some inside. Common areas where they will start to appear will be in garages, mud rooms, patios and crawl spaces. Though seemingly harmless, their roosting will almost always lead to mating and egg laying. Furthermore, their wing dust can create a mess. Many people have allergies to this dust and high levels in living areas should be avoided. And since their young will forage on such a wide range of common household fibers and fabrics, damage from hatching larva could occur most anywhere in the home. For these reasons, it is best to keep outside populations to a minimum. This can be accomplished with a wide range of products. The key is identifying which one is best suited for your application needs.
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Do Lawn Grubs Turn Into Moths
The grubs, worms, maggots, or caterpillars are all the same species.
Theyre the larvae of that pesky moth. Theyll eventually morph into an adult after the winter is over. The grubs you see are the ones that damage and screw up your lawn. The moths rarely do any damage.
Only the larvae will feed on grass, plants, and other foliage when theyre young. They rarely leave the host plant and will start eating right upon hatching from their respective egg.
Tips To Prevent Moths
Here are some tips to prevent moths from getting into your belongings:
- Brush any clothes made of wool or fur after you wear them outside. Moth eggs can easily infiltrate your closet by affixing themselves to these materials, so scraping them off regularly can help keep any moth larvae from getting inside.
- Keep your clothes and belongings washed before you store them away for long periods of time. Air-dry them in sunlight, if possible. This ensures that any eggs or larvae in your clothes are rinsed out or killed so that they dont grow into maturity while theyre in storage.
- Keep your clothes and belongings stored in airtight containers. Use tightly sealed chests, plastic containers, sealed suitcases, or something similar to make sure moths cant get inside and lay eggs. Dont leave any materials like wool or suits exposed to the air put them in zipped, airtight garment bags inside your sealed containers, especially when you dont plan to wear them for a while.
- Keep storage areas for clothing and other belongings dry. Moths thrive in moist, humid surroundings. Avoid storing clothes or belongings in basements, garages, outdoor sheds, or other areas that can be exposed to changes in the weather. Put them in an indoor closet, room, or in the attic.
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