flohaus

Have you been noticing an increase in moth infestations as years go by?  I have.

When we got our first home, I didn’t see them for years.  Then all of a sudden one year, I remember it very distinctly; there were moths in my pantry.  As hard as I tried I couldn’t get rid of them.  I would clean out my pantry completely, examining and tossing any food that seemed to be contaminated, but they would ultimately reappear within a few weeks again.  And even worse, they ate my clothes!!

Even as a child I remember having cedar chests and armoire’s to keep non-seasonal clothing in.  But I don’t remember there ever being an infestation where you could see them flying around freely.

Then one day when I was expressing my frustration, “Where are they coming from?!” with a girlfriend, she said that they come from the supermarket.  Really!  It made total sense.  All of the imported and prepackaged foods we get at the big box stores are a perfect breeding ground for these pests.

So after years of dealing with the critters, I‘ve come to understand and control them.

Here’s what I know:

1. Moths in your pantry will also eat any natural fibre, i.e. wool or cotton that has any remnant of food on them.
2. They are a part of our natural pest environment, like spiders, which come from outside but they also come from the food containers you buy at the store, such as rice and flour.
3. Moths do not like bright lights and flourish in dark cupboards.
4. Spiders like to eat moths.

Keep them at bay by maintaining good housekeeping practices:

1. Keep your pantry clean by washing with soapy water and move things around constantly if you can.
2. Keep all foods in well-sealed containers; preferably glass jars because moths can get into thick plastic containers if they want to.
3. Try to buy your grains and dried legumes in open container bulk stores, rather than prepackaged.
4. Make sure all clothing is cleaned and dried properly.  Hang sachets of lavender on clothes hangars and in drawers.
5. Store seasonal clothing in cedar lined chests or armoires.
6. Cedar oils and small cedar strips don’t work very well.
7. Never ever use mothballs or flakes, because these items are soaked with a pesticides such as naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene and are very toxic.

Once you see moths, don’t delay and get them out of your home!

Cheers!