Moth Control Nottingham & Derby

Moth Pest Control Specialist

Pride Pest Control provide moth pest control services throughout the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas.

There are a large number of harmless field moths, and it is not unusual to see the odd moth in your home during summer months because they will enter via open doors and windows at night.

However, if moths become a regular sight in your property, you might have an infestation developing in your home and you will need to take immediate steps to identify and remove the source of the problem to protect your home from the damage they can inflict.

Although clothes moths do not negatively affect your health in the way that many public health pests do, they can be a serious pest causing damage to carpets, furniture and clothing which is made of natural fabrics such as wool and silk.

The damage is actually caused by the larvae (caterpillars) of the moth, resulting in holes appearing where the carpets or clothing have been eaten.  The damage is irreversible, sometimes causing ruination of treasured possessions and expensive replacement costs.  Clothes moths have caused the destruction of irreplaceable and priceless items such as an old teddy bear, a wedding dress, or a historic museum piece.

There are a few different species that can be a pest in your home, all with slightly different appearances, habits, and lifespan. To help you identify with which pest you are dealing.

Common Clothes Moth

This is one of the most destructive and commonly encountered clothes moths in homes and businesses.  The adult moth is about 6-7mm long with uniformly straw-coloured fringed wings.

They tend to avoid the light and run as opposed to flying and are often seen crawling or flitting around at floor level or resting on walls.  The larvae are up to 10mm long and are cream coloured with brown heads.  Their larvae feed on most materials and usually take about 6 weeks to mature to adulthood in favourable conditions.

Case-bearing Clothes Moth

This is another of the most destructive clothes moths in homes and businesses and is also commonly encountered.

The adult moth is similar in size and habit to the Common Clothes Moth being about 6-7mm long but is slightly darker in colouration with three faint spots on each wing.  The Case-Bearing Clothes Moth is so named because the larval caterpillar spins a silken cell around itself which it carries as it moves and feeds.  These are often described as looking like grains of rice on the floors, although if you look closely you can often see the head protruding from the case.

Obviously, the clearest indication that you have a clothes moth infestation is visible damage to your clothes, curtains, carpets, or any other textile in your home.  The damage usually occurs to clothes and carpets that are in dark locations and are not cleaned or laundered regularly.  This is because the adult moth is attracted to dark areas and the eggs, larvae and pupae can survive and develop in fabrics and carpets that are obscured from view.  Consequently, infestations can develop for some time before being identified by which time there is often significant damage caused.