Moths are not the reason you may find holes appearing inyour clothes- It is their larvae.
Moth eggs and larvae are incredibly difficultto see on your clothes. When they hatch, young larvae are only about 1mm long.Because of this, they can do damage for weeks without being seen.
Moth larvaeparticularly love natural fibres such as wool, silk, cashmere and fur. Chewingon the fibres can create direct holes or weaken the fabric, causing yourgarments to develop holes after being washed or worn. This puts your preciousBabu merino at risk of developing moth holes.
How long do moths live?
The total lifecycle of a moth spans between two and threemonths.
A single female moth can lay as many as 300 eggs in just 3 weeks.This populates your closet with fibre eating larvae. These hungry larvae munchholes in your clothing for up to 50 days before pupating and becoming an adultmoth. Fortunately, adult moths do not do direct damage to your clothing.However, these adult moths actively mate and repopulate your wardrobe witheggs.
Moth larvae eat the most in an environment between 10°Cand 24°C.As most homes stay within these temperatures, the risk of moth infestation remainsall year long. Adult moth sighting will be most likely in the warmer months.
What are the signs of moth infestation?
- Moth sightings (larvae and adult moths)
- Small holes
- Damaged patches of fabric
- Crusty looking deposits on your garments
Will washing or drying clothes kill moths?
Yes- Hot washing and drying clothes can kill moth eggs andlarvae. However, note that hot washing certain natural fibres (IncludingBabu Merino) can ruin them.
What kills moth larvae?
Vigorous shaking- This will dislodge both eggs and larvaefrom your precious garments. Follow up with a good vacuum to prevent them fromfinding new homes.
Freezing- Freezing your infested garments is a good way todeal to clothing that can not be hot washed.Pop your clothing in a zip-lockbag and freeze for at least 12 hours to kill any remaining eggs or larvae. Makesure to double-check if your fabric can withstand being frozen.
What kills adult moths instantly?
- Pheromone traps
- Aerosol Sprays
- Smoke bombs
- Cedarwood
- Lavender
If you find moth holes, it is a good idea to clean out theentire area. Give the space a good vacuum, wipe down and bug spray to ensure anywondering moth larvae are killed. Do this regularly to limit the infestation ofmoths.
For future protection, store your at-risk apparel in ziplock bags, containers or garment bags to prevent the moths from laying eggs inyour clothing.
Prevention is always better than a remedy. See more aboutnatural moth prevention methodshere.
