Clothes moths are another rare pest in Honolulu Hawaii, but they are here. we’ve found them in clothing as well as carpeting. In both of these cases, the material will be a natural fiber like wool, silk, or fur, not a synthetic material. Both the case making clothes moth and the webbing clothes moths are attracted to these natural materials.
Clothes Moth Inspection
Clothes moths don’t like to be seen- much like roaches and bedbugs, so you may not notice you have an infestation until damage is found. True to their name, case making clothes moths produce a casing in which they transform from worm to moth, whereas webbing clothes moths go through their metamorphosis in the webbing material they produce. Either of these are evidence on the moths along with the damage to carpets, clothing, taxidermy, and blankets made of wool or animal based materials.
Clothes Moth Prevention
There are several things people can do to prevent or at least monitor for clothes moths. Some of these are:
- Cleaning your clothing often and if not using it soon, enclosing it in an airtight bag
- Vacuuming rugs that may be susceptible (animal products) and clothing storage areas
- Using cedar balls or moth balls around clothes such as wools, silks, and furs
- Cleaning second hand clothing well before storing
- If cleaning cloths is not possible, freezing plastic wrapped clothing may be a good alternative
If we can help with clothes moths or any other type of pest or if you have additional questions about these bugs, feel free to reach out to us. We’re happy to help!
