Moth-like insects on the ceiling. What does a mole look like and how to deal with it: proven methods, advice from experienced housewives

Every housewife at least once in her life faced the problem of the appearance of moths in the apartment. A small nondescript butterfly flies around the house and causes a lot of anxiety, because this means that eggs have already been laid somewhere, from which voracious larvae will hatch. It threatens with damage to clothes and furnishings, but moths in the kitchen are a separate and very serious conversation, because our food is endangered, and therefore we ourselves.

What is food moth

Entomologists distinguish between several types of moths that annoy a person in the kitchen. Most often, these are nut, cereal, cocoa, Indian, mill and barn moths - butterflies of the Lepidoptera order, preferring a nocturnal lifestyle.

Appearance of food moth

To a non-specialist, the pests of all these species look similar - a moth no more than 1 cm in length with grayish-brownish wings, from which scales easily crumble. Insects whose larvae feed on food products are commonly combined into the general concept of "food moth". Methods of struggle also do not differ by type. Most often, groceries are attacked by pests - cereals, sugar, dried fruits, cereals that are part of ready-made breakfasts, flour and flour products, pasta, children food, tea, coffee and nuts with seeds.

The wings of food moths can be plain or have stripes with dots in the pattern.

life cycle of an insect

The mole lives no more than two months. But if the conditions are unfavorable, due to developmental delay, this period can increase to 300 days. At temperatures from +25 °C and humidity from 50%, it multiplies rapidly, laying eggs in hard-to-reach places and close to food.

In appearance and size, food moth eggs resemble grains of semolina

One individual gives from 100 to 400 eggs, from which the main pests are hatched - caterpillar larvae. AT favorable conditions living kitchen, they are actively developing, eating food, and in a few weeks they grow to a size of 14–16 mm. The larvae have a light color, look like worms with five pairs of legs. It is they who harm the products, clogging them and eating them within reach. With a high degree of infection, it is impossible not to notice them: they create a web around themselves, from which cocoons are later formed.

Food moth caterpillars (larvae) cause significant damage to kitchen supplies

In the state of a cocoon, a food moth spends from 1–2 weeks to a month, gradually turning into an adult insect. After hatching, she flies out for mating, which can occur as early as the next day. Then the fertilized females look for a place in the feeding environment to lay their eggs. The life span of an adult insect does not exceed two weeks, and all this time the butterfly does not eat, but only drinks water. underdeveloped digestive system does not allow her to absorb products.

In a cocoon, the insect is motionless, so it can no longer cause direct damage to products.

What is harmful food moth

Although moth larvae are the main kitchen pest, the insect is capable of causing damage at every stage of its development:

• eggs clog food, rendering them unusable;

  If food moth eggs are in food, they should not be eaten.

• larvae eat stocks, spoil them with cobwebs, excrement and dead shells;

  Products contaminated with food moth larvae pose a health hazard

• moths randomly fly around the kitchen, falling into liquid food, which can cause infection;

  A moth accidentally flying into food causes no less trouble than a fly

• dead insects litter the room and make it look unattractive.

  Dead insects give the house a rundown feel.

By accidentally eating food contaminated with larvae and replaceable cocoons, you can cause an allergic reaction or get serious food poisoning, which is fraught with intoxication and further problems with the immune system.

If food moths are found in industrial foods, they are removed from sale. On the own kitchen the fight begins when the first traces of the pest are found.

Signs and causes of the appearance of food moth

You can assume the presence of insects in kitchen supplies in the following cases:

If the infection has just begun, it is difficult to notice the larvae. Therefore, inspect small groceries very carefully, and check larger ones for nests.

Why does a pest start

To successfully fight the moth, you need to know how it gets into the apartment and infects the food premises. There are three ways:

1. With purchased products already infected with pest larvae or eggs.
2. From neighbors (usually through ventilation, like most pests).
3. Through the loosely closed doors and windows of the apartment.

The appearance of a food moth does not mean that the hostess does not properly maintain the premises. Insects come from outside and start even in the cleanest kitchen.

The difference between food moth and clothes moth

All small butterflies seem similar. But since the methods of pest control of products and fabrics differ, it is worth taking into account a number of differences that will help determine which type of moth you have encountered.

How to get rid of food moths at home

Ways of struggle can be conditionally divided into the following categories:

• mechanical (aimed at mechanical cleaning of the territory from the pest);
• chemical (insecticide);
• folk (without the use of chemicals).

Their combination is allowed.

Mechanical impact

The pest must be fought at all stages of development, otherwise the methods will not bring the desired result. If only the larvae are destroyed, the remaining adult insects will lay new eggs and have to start over.

Cleaning

This is the simplest and effective method. Go through the food in the kitchen and identify the source of infection according to the signs that are detailed above.

It is better to get rid of contaminated products immediately. But if more than two-thirds of the cereal is in good condition, you can try to save them by disinfecting them by calcining in the oven at a temperature of +60 °C or by placing in the freezer for 1-2 days.

Isolate products that the moth has not reached by pouring them into dry, clean containers with a tightly closed lid. You can store them in the refrigerator. Rinse shelves and cabinets where the source of the appearance of food moths could be, thoroughly rinse with a solution of laundry soap.

Most often, food moth infects groceries.

The food moth cannot stand the cold, so food is safe in the refrigerator

Traps

Traps can be bought in stores. In spite of big choice, they have one principle of action - the mechanical destruction of the insect. They usually include a glue base and pheromone bait. The sticky layer is applied to cardboard or thick paper, and the bait is already included in the glue or is attached in a separate bag.

Traps for food moths do not contain toxins

This method of mechanical action is safe, because the composition of the traps does not include toxins and toxic substances. But it does not work on eggs and larvae: pheromones are designed to attract adults.

When using glue traps, don't go overboard with the quantity. If there are too many pheromones, the insects will not fly to any trap.

Assembling the glue trap yourself is not difficult

It is distinguished by the absence of attracting pheromones and form. Especially for food moths, it is released infrequently, so any species designed to protect against flying insects can be used. The food moth flies randomly, so this type of trap gives good results in the fight against adult butterflies, but it will not save you from larvae and eggs.

Sticky tape will protect against moths, but will not save you from moth larvae and eggs

Chemicals

Modern industrial means for the destruction of food moths are divided into two groups:

1. Insecticides, most of which are based on drug toxicity.
2. Repellents are less dangerous substances based on plant origin.

When used indoors, especially in the kitchen, chemicals to combat food moths require caution and safety measures.

Insecticides

Aerosols are one of the most popular forms. To positive aspects their use includes:

• range of effects - they destroy both adult butterflies and their caterpillar larvae;
• duration of exposure - up to a year, depending on the chosen means;
• efficiency - give an instant effect;
• wide choice - you can choose a tool that is better than others suitable in each case.

There are some downsides though:

• unsafety - manufacturers recommend preventing the substance from getting on food, and when using it, use protective equipment - gloves and a bandage or a respirator;
• difficulty in application: since it is impossible to process the products directly, it is impossible to do without the mechanical destruction of the larvae that have already got into the groceries.

Aerosols have gained popularity due to the ease of use and storage of active substances.

The principle of operation of fumigators is similar to the work of aerosols - insecticides are thrown into the air that destroy food moths. But unlike aerosols, they release insecticide constantly and in much lower concentrations. Therefore, they cannot be used constantly, but it is allowed to turn on only for 8 hours and open the window. Their advantages:

• relative safety;
• a wide range of effects: the destruction of caterpillars and adult insects.

Cons to use:

• localization - they work from the mains, the place of their installation is limited by the presence of an outlet;
• efficiency - the tool shows a good result in the destruction of butterflies and their caterpillars, but additional measures are needed to completely destroy the larvae;
• due to the low concentration of the insecticide, the effect is not immediately visible.

The tank for the fumigator lasts up to 45 days

Repellents

Many housewives prefer a repellant in the form of a moth section. Its advantages:

• safety - are based on essential oils;
• nice smell;
• unlike glue traps and fumigators, the moth section is not too noticeable and looks neat.

Among the minuses it is worth considering:

• dubious effectiveness: scents have a deterrent effect on adult butterflies, but they are ineffective against larvae;
• fragility in the fight against the population: from the larvae adjacent to the agent, butterflies resistant to a particular aroma can hatch.

Moth sections can have interesting design solutions

According to the same scheme, tablets from food moths work. They are usually sold in small packages and used according to the instructions. It is best to wrap them in a porous cloth (gauze or bandage) and lay them out on kitchen shelves. positive and negative sides uses are the same as for sections, but the cost of tablets is usually lower.

Tablets from food moths remain effective for up to six months

Folk remedies

All time-tested recipes for fighting food moths are based on repelling the pest. The moth does not tolerate strong odors, is not able to lay eggs in places where tangible aromas reign.

Most industrial repellents are based on the use of folk recipes.

To get rid of food moths, it is enough to create conditions unsuitable for breeding. And they will help you with this:

1. Essential oils. A few drops of this pleasant agent, applied to a cotton pad or piece of cloth, are enough to scare the pest away from the shelves of the kitchen cabinet.

   One of the most pleasant means in the fight against food moths is essential oil with your favorite scent

2. Soap with a strong smell. Toilet is more pleasant, economic is more effective. The bars are laid out in places where the insect is supposed to appear, creating a fragrant veil.

   The smell of soap will not allow food moths to approach food and lay eggs.

3. Dried herbs. Llavanda, tansy, mint, wormwood and other plants with similar aromas are sewn into small bags or simply wrapped in a porous cloth or napkin so as not to accidentally litter the shelves.

   If you collect herbs to repel food moths on your own, then it is better to do this at the time of their flowering.

4. Citrus peels. The peel is placed in lockers. Both dried zest and fresh product are suitable. It is only necessary to change in time and make sure that fresh crusts do not deteriorate.

   It should be borne in mind that if the crust starts to deteriorate, its smell will attract rather than repel moths.

5. Indoor fragrant plants: geranium and fragrant tobacco. One beautiful flower on the kitchen window sill is enough so that the moth does not fly close to the room.

   Spicy and pungent odors keep food moths out of kitchen cabinets

6. camphor and vinegar. Both tools cannot boast of being pleasant to use, but their effectiveness has been proven long ago. Camphor is used in the same way as essential oils: a few drops on a cotton pad. Vinegar is added to water when cleaning the kitchen.

When choosing folk remedies keep in mind that neither naphthalene nor garlic have stood the test of time. Naphthalene is recognized as dangerous because of the carcinogenic substances that make up its composition, and most insects have developed an addiction to garlic.

Preventive measures

Having got rid of food moths, it is important to prevent re-infestation of the kitchen.

1. Before transferring products to containers, check each for food moth infestation.

   It is better to buy groceries in their original packaging, rather than packaged in a store.

2. If possible, avoid long-term storage of groceries. If you buy food for a family, then no more than a week - the risk of food moth infection will be significantly reduced.

   Do-it-yourself home remedy for moths

3. Store food in airtight containers. Even if you accidentally miss the larva, it will not be able to get out of the tank and infect the neighboring ones. Passing adults will not have the opportunity to lay eggs.

   Sealed foods are not at risk of food moth infestation

4. Monitor windows, doors and ventilation holes. Plain mosquito net will protect the house not only from the accidental penetration of moths, but also from many other domestic pests.

The most common pests that can live in homes are food and clothing moths. They hide very well, and can only be detected if they have been disturbed. At the same time, quite often, when they are detected, they already have time to harm products or things. Food moth can start even in such a kitchen, which is contained in perfect cleanliness. To breed these insects, you need to know as much as possible about them.

The food moth resembles a butterfly, having a size of about 1 cm. The color of the wings ranges from light gray to brown. She moves through the air quickly and chaotically, can sit on ceilings, walls, products, circles before her eyes, annoying a person.

Her life is short - about 2-3 weeks. The larvae are able to live quietly for two months. It is they who begin to spoil the products with their waste products. An adult individual no longer eats anything, but only drinks water, therefore it is constantly looking for its sources. adult butterfly can be found near the sink or in a glass of water.

Reproduction of moths and its varieties

Such a process occurs intensively, especially with access to moisture. The development cycle of an insect consists of three periods:

• The first is the laying of eggs, which the moth collects in a heap. After some time, caterpillars are obtained from them.
• The second - the larvae begin to actively develop. At the same time, they eat away the area on which they are located, and they increase in size. After feeding, they begin to pupate. Able caterpillar cocoon are more than a month, gradually turning into a butterfly.
• Third - butterflies hatch, they lay eggs and die.

When a moth develops from a pupa, it is already ready to mate. Females attract males by releasing specific pheromones. The female is capable of laying 100-400 eggs food products and on the outside of the package. Two generations of such an insect grow in a year.

Quite often, food moths start up in spices, chocolate, tea, dried fruits, nuts, dry foods, flour, cereals, and even pet food stored in an apartment. The insect enters the house along with contaminated products purchased at the store. This happens if manufacturers and suppliers have incorrectly processed products, violated their storage conditions, etc.

AT warm apartment the insect begins to multiply rapidly, its population increases sharply gradually contaminating other foods. Sometimes it can enter the apartment from the neighbors, but this happens quite rarely.

The larvae of this type of moth capable of chewing through packages with products, eat them and at the same time infect them with waste products: skin, feces, dead larvae. Such products are forbidden to eat, so they need to be thrown away.

Adults can annoy a person by constantly flashing before their eyes, as well as by sitting on food, falling into jam and water. In addition, insects are able to multiply rapidly.

Methods of dealing with food and clothes moth

Although it is quite difficult to get rid of this type of insect, there are quite effective funds to fight them. Among them are industrial and folk methods. Regardless of which method will be used, the main thing is to establish the source of infection, that is, to find out in which product the insect larvae have settled.

It is necessary to review the cabinets and cupboards in the kitchen, where nuts, flour, cereals are stored. If traces of infection are found, such products should be disposed of. This avoids reinfection larvae. If they have not touched some products, then they should be poured into special storage jars or hermetically sealed containers.

The cabinet in which spoiled food was found should be washed from the inside with warm soapy water, and then rinsed plain water. All the cracks in the cabinet are smeared with a brush dipped in vinegar. After that, the locker is left open until completely dry.

If insects have only slightly contaminated food, then you can try to disinfect them. If this is cereal, then you can warm it up in a pan or in the oven, and also place it in the freezer for several days. The cereal moth disappears when the infected product heats up above +60 degrees or freezes at temperatures below -10 degrees.

Unlike food moth , duffel feeds on clothes located in the apartment. This insect brings the same serious harm to the inhabitants of the home, as it can ruin very good things. It feeds on the wool of carpet products, outerwear, furs, upholstery upholstered furniture, felt pads in musical instruments.

The clothes moth is very tenacious, and its caterpillars are able to survive at temperatures around zero degrees or go a whole month without food. To get rid of it, you need to carefully inspect the wardrobe, as well as all the things in it. Particular attention should be paid to the clothes that were put in the closet for storage, not washed after wearing, because the caterpillars first of all eat dirty and sweaty places on the fabric. If things are severely affected by clothes moths, then it is better to throw them away or hold them over steam or boil them.

The rest of the clothes need to be washed, ironed and sent to storage. Warm winter clothes must be cleaned, aired in the fresh air and placed in airtight covers.

The use of folk remedies

Garlic. It is believed that the smell of garlic effectively repels moths, which is why they leave their usual habitat. After removing a small layer of peel from the garlic cloves, they are laid out in all kitchen cabinets.

Lavender. Such a plant is widely used in the fight against moths. Various industrial traps have the smell of lavender, which insects do not tolerate at all. Plant bundles are also laid out in cabinets. Mint and wormwood are good at repelling insects. They can be used in place of lavender.

Spices. The food moth does not tolerate the smells of many spices at all, such as cloves or bay leaves.

Traps and aerosols

To combat these insects, special traps are produced. They attract them with their smell, the moth flies, sticks to them and dies. Traps are especially effective against males of such an insect, so their population can decline sharply. The most popular trap is the Raptor. It is completely safe, does not irritate the human sense of smell, does not emit toxins.

Aerosols are very toxic and harmful to both humans and other living beings. But they are effective and the mole disappears very quickly. Food, pets, aquariums, dishes should be removed from the treated room. After treatment, you need to ventilate the room, and then wash all areas that the product could get into.

Thus, if insects similar to moths appeared in the apartment, you need to make sure that this is it, since the moth can greatly harm both products and things. There are many ways to deal with it, and you need to choose the best one that is suitable for a particular type of insect.

Food moth scares many housewives. At least once in her life, every lady has encountered unpleasant insects, in bewilderment trying to understand where the flying moths came from in the kitchen. Initially, it is necessary to find a source of reproduction of insects, then blunt to the destruction of uninvited "guests".

The process of getting rid of food moths is unpleasant, lengthy and costly. Be sure to study the rules for preventing the appearance of insects in your home, because preventing food contamination is much easier than trying to get rid of larvae, adults later.

What is food moth

The insect is a pest with a short reproduction cycle. The food or grain moth belongs to the butterfly family. Adults are beige, sometimes light brown. There are also caterpillar-like larvae, the eggs are light. Larvae, depending on the type of insect, differ in size, sometimes reaching a length of two centimeters. It is this form of pest that is considered the most harmful to humans. The larvae devour food, envelop nuts, fruits and cereals with an unpleasant cobweb.

The maximum lifespan of an adult (butterfly) does not exceed a few days, then the insect lays eggs and dies. During the breeding season, the pest turns into a wingless butterfly, when it destroys a lot of food stocks. This period can last up to six days. The process of reproduction of grain moth is accelerated if the environment is warm and humid. Therefore, the absence of flying moths is not a reason for calm. At this point, the larvae can safely feast on your supplies.

Note! The most important thing in the fight against insects in the kitchen is to periodically check all containers with dry foods, and not just get rid of the pest once.

These questions are of concern to many housewives, because many believe that they themselves are to blame for the contamination of products with insects. You can't think like that, you can only take care of your kitchen, but you can't watch other people. Often, goods bought in a store (especially for a promotion) are already infected with moth larvae. Unscrupulous owners of wholesale depots neglect the rules for storing products. Insects also make their way into the dwelling through ventilation, through windows.

Favorite places for food moths:

• cereals. A favorite habitat for grain moths: rice, oatmeal, oatmeal, pasta, even portioned bags of cereals are not immune from pest infestation;
• nuts. The moth lives in peeled peanuts, under the shells of walnuts;
• dried fruits. Raisins, prunes, dried apricots are often covered with some kind of mold, due to the enveloping of the product with moths;
• carton boxes. Sometimes the larvae are found in unpacked tea packs, corn flakes, oatmeal;
• if insects have been living in your kitchen for a long time, then perhaps they live under window sills, behind cabinets, there are rare cases of grain moths living even in household appliances, which has not been used for a long time;
• there is an opinion that insects are afraid of garlic, but some claim that they found larvae even in bags with vegetables;
• there are foods that the moth does not eat, but lives well in them (salt, soda). When revising the kitchen, pay attention to these bulk.

Caustic (vinegar) and viscous (honey, wait, jam) are not susceptible to infection, because insects simply drown in them.

It is impossible to panic when a pest is found, get together and immediately begin to destroy the grain moth.

Harm and danger

Many believe that the insect is absolutely harmless to humans, it's okay if it eats a couple of grains. It is strictly forbidden to believe so. The main problem of the grain moth is that an adult can lay about 500 eggs. Each larva changes its skin several times during a short life, infects food with its vital activity. In cereals, nuts there are many feces, chitinous cover (insect skin).

Regular consumption of contaminated foods, sometimes even one meal, can lead to sad consequences:

• food poisoning, serious intoxication of the whole organism;
• severe allergic reaction, up to Quincke's edema, which sometimes leads to death;
• malfunctions of the immune system.

All doctors and exterminators insist that after finding insects in the kitchen, you need to get rid of them very quickly. Food moth carries a special danger to children. A fragile organism can acutely perceive a meal of contaminated products.

General rules for insect control

• mistakenly put cereals in the refrigerator, low temperatures lead only to the fact that the larvae fall asleep. After returning to a humid and warm environment, insects will begin to actively multiply.
• larvae, eggs die only when high temperatures Oh. It is allowed to steam the cereals in the oven for at least 20 minutes, otherwise some individuals may survive, the pest control will have to be repeated again;
• not for nothing that our mothers and grandmothers kept cereals, dried herbs in tin cans. Insects are unable to gnaw through metal, glass, wood and foil. But fabric, paper, polyethylene covers - easily. Store all edibles in tightly closed glass containers with special seals. So you can see the pest through glass jar, insects will not spread throughout the kitchen;
• wash all jars in which there was infected cereal in vinegar solution. Ordinary soap does not affect moths in any way, insects can even live in packs of powder. It is allowed to wash with soapy water after vinegar treatment for additional hygiene.

Important! No methods will help if you do not destroy all contaminated food. It is also recommended to thoroughly wash the furniture, the room itself, carry out general cleaning by adding a little table vinegar to the water for mopping.

Chemical agents will help to completely rid the kitchen of annoying insects, which excludes the salvation of infected products. All remedies against grain moth can be divided into two groups:

• elimination insecticides. The products consist of chemical elements aimed at poisoning adults, larvae, death of eggs;
• repellents. The products include only natural ingredients that can repel insects. Products cannot destroy moths, but contribute to their resettlement to other territories.

Aerosols

How to deal with food moths in an apartment? One of the most effective means consider aerosols. Manufacturers produce a mass of products that are similar in composition and action, designed to rid the kitchen of food-eating insects in a short period of time.

Popular aerosols:

• Antimol. It is allowed to use on kitchen furniture, fabrics, the duration of the action of the product is amazing - the effect lasts up to one year;
• Armol. The product is designed for the rapid destruction of moths, the product affects not only butterflies, but also has a prolonged effect on larvae;
• Combat. It is famous for its universal action, it destroys all types of moths. Safe for pets and can be used on all surfaces.

For help choosing the right aerosol, contact a consultant in a specialized store. Consider the presence of children in the house. At the time of pest control, it is better to leave the premises, pick up pets, children, even plants. Then thoroughly ventilate the dwelling, insects cannot stand fresh air.

Traps

Flying individuals must also be destroyed to prevent the resumption of food contamination. To do this, some use a regular newspaper or slippers. The moth flies badly, it is not difficult to catch it. If this method is not to your liking, use purchased traps that attract insects. The means are lubricated with a special substance, the pest sticks and can no longer fly, and eventually dies.

The Aeroxon food moth trap has proven to be excellent. The adhesive surface of the product does not dry out for a long time, the special aroma attracts butterflies. The trap can be purchased at any hardware store, the cost of one package does not exceed 200 rubles. One trap should be enough to completely destroy adults, if this does not happen, get another tool.

Folk recipes

Proven remedies for food moths in the apartment:

How to get rid of? Read helpful information.

Prevention of the appearance

To reduce the harm from the life of a moth, to prevent its occurrence in the house, you can use the following recommendations:

Grain moth is a nuisance, but you can get rid of it. stick useful rules, if necessary, engage in the destruction of pests.

Food moth starts up very easily, and it is very difficult to get it out. If you notice centimeter-sized white larvae or fluttering insects in your kitchen, take immediate action. Which? Watch a helpful video:

Black moth can appear in the cleanest kitchen. As a rule, it appears in cereals stored for a long time. The pest reproduces quickly, so it is difficult to drive it out. But if you use special tools, you can cope with the task.

Description of the insect

Black moth is a pest. However, if you see a flying insect indoors, it is a male. He doesn't pose much of a threat. The female lays silver eggs at this time. They are dangerous for products.

To start fighting an insect, you should identify where it lives. Often black moth prefers dark and warm places where there is no fresh air. The most dangerous caterpillars. They devour everything around. Various food products suffer from caterpillars, but most often dried fruits, cereals.

Damage

If a voracious pest has appeared in the apartment, look at muesli, cereals, dried fruits, cereals, seasonings. Insect eggs resemble cobwebs. The larvae have a black head, their size is about 1 centimeter.

If you find affected supplies, dispose of them immediately. They cannot be saved, and the moth will instantly spread to all products, even those stored in closed containers. Black moth cannot only get into containers made of metal or glass.

Ways to fight

Black moth is often found in food:

• in cereals;
• flour;
• dried mushrooms;
• in nuts.

The first step is to conduct an inventory audit. Then the products must be moved to resealable cans, either plastic bags, but they should be well tied.

If the provisions are heavily soiled, they should be thrown away. Eating such food is dangerous. If the black moth has just begun to infect cereals, get rid of the source of infection.

How to deal with moths in products

Select lumps from the web. Dry food in the microwave or in the oven. Just place the cereal on a baking sheet, dry with the door open for 20 minutes. Then place the product in a resealable container.

Folk methods of dealing with moths (video)

The next step is the disinfection of the shelves in the apartment. Prepare a soap solution and treat the surfaces with it. Then repeat the operation, but with clean water. All cracks should be wiped with a solution of vinegar. Before filling cabinets, let them dry for a couple of hours.

Chemical control agents

Chemicals will help fight. The stores sell the following products:

• antimolny sections;
• plates;
• sprays;
• tablets;
• briquettes.

The cheapest option is tablets, plates, briquettes. The composition includes camphor and naphthalene. The presented preparations are placed on the upper shelves of cabinets. Vapors of substances go down and prevent the reproduction of moths. The duration of action is about 6 months. The method is considered effective, but unsafe for humans. Before using the tablet, wrap it with gauze.

Fighting with sections is very simple. But you should read the instructions. For one room measuring 15 square meters, 1 section should be used. Keep it away from children and food.

Remove the tape first. Then place the section in the top corner of the cabinet. You can choose any aroma - chamomile, lavender, tangerine. The duration of one section is 6 months. Then the device should simply be replaced. To avoid the risk of poisoning, the instructions must be strictly followed.

Folk preparations

Black moth does not tolerate. Pungent odors also do not suit her, so lavender essential oil can be used to fight. Just soak a piece of gauze with it, and then place it in the closet. You can simply hang dried lavender sprigs in the closet.

In addition to lavender, black moth does not tolerate aromas:

• tobacco;
• garlic;
• kerosene;
• orange;
• strawberry soap.

You can make rag bags and fill them with the indicated substances. Then the bags are placed on the shelves in the closet. Garlic can simply be placed in jars of cereals.

Another good way getting rid of insects - ultraviolet irradiation. Also, the moth does not tolerate vibrations and noise, so you should shake out and knock out infected things. The sun's rays also give a strong defeat - the black moth dies under their influence within an hour.

The pest does not tolerate too low and too high temperatures. Therefore, the larvae can be heated or frozen. At low temperatures, the eggs will die during the day.

How to get rid of moths (video)

Moth can appear even in a clean room. It causes a lot of inconvenience, for example, spoils products. The main threat comes from larvae and females. Males simply fly around the room, they do not lay eggs. Often insect caterpillars spoil seasonings, dried fruits, cereals. If trouble occurs, spoiled products should be disposed of. It is also necessary to disinfect shelves and corners. Can be used chemical methods wrestling - tablets and sections. They are just stacked on the shelves. From folk remedies, it is better to use herbs and oils with a pungent odor. They give a good effect.

This small gray butterfly spoils the nerves of many housewives - it can appear in cereal products even in a perfectly clean kitchen. The name of the butterfly is food moth. Where does this pest come from? How to quickly get rid of moths in the kitchen? These questions will be answered by an article with a photo of a gray moth that annoys even neat housewives.

At least once in a lifetime, everyone has to meet with a gray moth, which prefers to settle in the bowels of kitchen cabinets, in chests with cereals, pantries and other places where bulk grain products are stored. Hundreds of disturbed individuals take off from bags of grain, one has only to touch the products.

Food moth - a small butterfly gray color with an inconspicuous pattern, sometimes in the color of an insect can be found brown shades in wing pattern. The size of the flying pest is very modest - only 1 cm, but the baby is very productive - an adult can lay up to 400 eggs, from which larvae hatch after a certain time. It is these voracious creatures that spoil the products with their excrement.

An adult moth is nocturnal, flying around the apartment for considerable distances from kitchen cabinets. The flight of a gray butterfly is like a chaotic dance - the moth takes off, sits down, circles in the air, causing annoying irritation. The pest manages to dodge the clapping hands, soaring up to the ceiling. It is very difficult to catch a moth with your hands, therefore it is impossible to cope with a pest with this method.

Under the general name "food moth" several similar pests can be hidden: mill moth; barn moth; cereal moth or nut moth, but all types of pests are not able to eat anything other than food.

Gray moth - tastes and preferences

In addition to cereal products, gray moth in the larval stage can eat nuts, tea leaves, dry infant formula, chocolate, dried fruits, flour, legumes. Moth does not disdain even animal feed.

Pest larvae enter the apartment with contaminated products that have been stored in warehouses and stores for a long time, while suppliers did not comply with the requirements for proper storage of food. Cases when a pest enters an apartment from neighbors are extremely rare.

Advice! Be sure to inspect the purchased products before loading them for storage, this way you can prevent the reproduction of gray moth in the apartment.

Development phases of food moth

The moth in the adult stage lives from several days to 3 weeks, its main task is only one thing - to lay eggs in a suitable place, for which those foods are selected that the larvae hatched from the eggs can eat.

Adult moths do not need food, they only need to drink often, so flying individuals look for sources of available water. Adult food moth butterflies do not live long - about a week, during which time mating takes place (maybe on the same day as soon as the individuals pass from the pupal stage to the adult state). Males are able to mate with several females, in some cases they die immediately after the first mating. The task of females is to lay eggs.

The main habitat of the gray moth is cereals

Moth larvae soon appear from white eggs, which cause maximum harm in the kitchen. The larva has the appearance of a caterpillar, length - up to 2 cm, color - light coffee. The caterpillar begins to feed immediately after the appearance, damaging food stocks, while it can live up to 2 months. The mobility of the larvae is limited, so they cannot move far from their place of birth.

Then the larvae pass into the pupal stage, and then into the adult state. After laying eggs, an adult moth can die within 6 hours.

Harm from food moth

Products infected with pest larvae can cause allergic reactions, poisoning and diseases that develop against the background of a weakened immune system. Among other things, contaminated products are subject to disposal, which is a loss for their owner.

Advice! If moth larvae are found in foods, it is worth destroying them and not eating them.

Food moth - effective pest control measures

It is necessary to approach the destruction of the pest using comprehensive measures for the destruction of moths at all stages of development. It is not enough to destroy only infected products with larvae - it is necessary to methodically check the premises for the presence of clutches with eggs, as well as take measures against flying individuals.

To start in kitchen cabinets it is worth conducting a complete audit - to identify moth-infected cereals and other products. Cocoa, tea, milk formulas, animal feed must be destroyed, since it is very problematic to remove pests in such products. You can try to process cereals and dried fruits - fry in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 60 C for half an hour.

Cabinets, chests, pantries, kitchen rooms where the moth was seen should be treated with insecticides - Armol, Antimol, Raptor ( special agent from food moth), "Combat".

There are special traps for Aeroxon flying moths, the effect of which is based on attracting individuals with a special smell. Arriving moth simply sticks to the surface of the trap.

Fighting food moth: video

Food moth: photo