Clothes moths and pantry pests

In short: Clothes moths infest wool and other natural fibres, while pantry pests such as flour moths or beetles settle into food. Early detection prevents larger damage.

In more detail: It is not the moths themselves but their larvae that cause the actual damage to textiles or stored food.

In detail

• Signs of infestation: Holes in wool jumpers or fine webbing in flour and grain products indicate an infestation.
• Textile prevention: Storing natural fibre clothing clean and in airtight packaging significantly reduces the risk of infestation.
• Lavender and cedarwood: Natural scents keep moths away but do not kill an existing infestation.
• Pantry prevention: Keeping dry food in tightly sealed containers prevents pests from gaining access.
• Fighting an infestation: Dispose of affected food, clean cupboards thoroughly, and store new supplies separately.
• Pheromone traps: Special traps attract male moths and help assess the extent of an infestation.
• Second-hand clothing: Thoroughly wash or freeze used wool clothing before storing it to kill any smuggled-in eggs (vintage-und-secondhand-mode, flecken-entfernen-hausmittel).