MOTHs!!!

Once you have them it's very hard to get rid of them totally.

I took up wool carpets, put knitting wool and wool clothing in zip lock bags, used spray, lavender and moth killer sachets (which makes things smell horrible).
Still only yesterday I saw one flying around (tiny) looking for a mate.
The problem is there are quite a few insects that feed off of natural fibres, including some paper.
I actually found one on a Will from 1699 I have framed (before it was framed).

Yes, tried lavender, an insect spray but the only way so far we've managed to get rid of them is to vacuum around the edges with a nozzle, move furniture and rugs to check for the larvae.
I thought having a wool carpet was better than synthetic.

Then there they appear again in spring - only a few so far 🤞

But I'll try any suggestions on here!

It's wool carpets we have too. I'll keep going with the hoovering and spray stuff. Cassette hangers ordered from Amazon for the wardrobes. Steaming is a thought.

As said, best to get specialists in if the problem is well established. And watch out with cats with those very toxic sprays.

If it were me, I'd move out for a few days, cats and all, to get the place properly treated by specialists and then wait long enough for toxicity of products to disappear, before re-introducing humans and cats.

I don't think we're quite at that stage yet Fleurpepper but I'll bear that in mind.

I’m 72 and have never had moths until this year. Due to ill health my bed came downstairs - and I’ve now found the upstairs bedrooms infested with moths happily munching on the carpets (or their larvae as I don’t suppose the moths do much munching.)
I have sprayed them so hopefully they will stay away!

Thoro bad luck. I didn't think we had moths either - until about two years ago.

Our blasted carpet moths are back! We seemed to have had them for two years now, never before that.
I have used Arcana sprays, and hope that it will eventually 'get' them.
They are tiny beige things, so on all journeys around the house I try and seek them out.
They appear on the floor edges, on the stairs and sometimes on walls. I take great enjoyment in squadging them , but still they come. Wretched things.

I was just in the Lakeland store and the lady in front of me was buying anti moth stuff. The assistant was assuring her that it's not just her with the problem as 'they're everywhere'. Obviously a common problem round here. The whole checkout area was surrounded by displays of 'Moth Stop'.
I don't feel quite so bad now but the thought of these creatures in my house gives me the heeby jeebies!

Aveline

After a thorough hoovering (with my lovely new hoover) I saw a small white speck and picked it up. It wiggled at me 😱😱😱

Last time we had the larvae I picked some up, put them on a nearby bit of furniture while I looked for more and one moved across the furniture very rapidly, it must have been just hatching out!

Aveline the best thing to do is call pest control and get them in. The use a far stronger spray than the commercial type.

oh my goodness, they don`t just go for wool but any natural materials containing keratin, wool silk fur feathers felt cotton and leather etc

Carpet upstairs last house was very strong sisal and on moving day, I saw the patches underneath the bed that had been munched, never noticed them before, due to shadows

All my wool is in zip lock bags, I need to pack my silk pillowcases as they are in the dark. It seems that there can never be a shortage of food for the blighters, once there is an infestation

Aveline

I don't think we're quite at that stage yet Fleurpepper but I'll bear that in mind.

I know it seems drastic, but wool carpets are very expensive, and indoor cats very sensitive.

I'd rather get specialists in and deal with the problem once and for all- and make sure we are all safe, as well as the carpets.

At our last house, we had them in one room, which was wood clad, and we could totally isolate from rest of house. We used fumigator cones, with towels rolled in front of door on the outside to avoid seepage. Left it for 2 days then opened all windows for a couple of days.

In my house I began noticing clothes being eaten and then carpets about 6 years ago.
When old fashioned mothballs were banned due to their toxicity, the only things people recommended were cedar balls and lavender bags! The moths laughed
However a bar of cheap scented soap in your drawers. Also cleaning and relining drawers regularly does help.
I bought very strong chemicals from www.mothkiller.com. But not used them yet as I am scared these would be dangerous to humans.

My DSis called in the pest control who fumigated her house at great expense but she says the moths are still there!

In Edinburgh where moths are endemic the Nomads Tent will clean your Persian rugs.

I think they are on the increase.

Climate change?

A combination of things
Long ago people spring cleaned and boiled linen and cotton.
Now we wash at cool temps.
Mothballs are banned at least the naphthalene ones are
Even a domestic freezer cannot kill the eggs. It has to be below 40°C

My American cousin who also has moths and is a knitter recommends Ziploc bags and putting clothes in the freezer for a few days, thawing while the eggs hatch and then back in!

Moths hate being disturbed so plenty of hoovering, dusting, brushing will stop them taking hold.

Good 🤞 luck

I'll keep at it. So annoying. Even after I blitz an area by hoovering and spraying when I check the moth traps there are more of the little b*****s!

My DP had fitted wool carpets but the only moths I remember liked woollen clothes.
MIL had a large square with lino around the edges, perhaps we should go back to that 🤔

I saw a live wool moth by my bedroom window yesterday. I bottomed my bedroom that morning, quickstep flooring and a considerable amount of visible fluff under furniture. I have wool bedding and am thinking that fluff from wool must make a pretty good hidey home for wool munchers

I think my wool clothing is protected enough but best to be ever-vigilant

I think it’s the materials you all have in your houses I don’t have anything pure wool or cashmere or anything like that and never seen a moth since my Nan had her beaver lamb (whatever that is) fur coat in her wardrobe about 50 years ago 😂😂😂

I spray and hoover and use moth traps yet still they come. I'm getting neurotic about them now ☹️

exactly that bluebelle, if there is no attraction for them, they will not appear

I have just ordered more zip lock bags from lakeland, free postage this weekend. I will be getting my lovely handknits ready for summer storage next week

I had my cashmere sweaters in bags, with sachets and somehow the little blighters got to them. I am devasted!!! 😡

I’ve only seen one so far this year but I guess it’s early days. It’s the larvae of course that do the damage and I dread to think what holes there might be in the carpets under furniture. It’s the white cases left after they emerge that are the giveaway that they’re around and it amazes me how fast the moths can run, let alone fly, if you miss when you try to squash them. They’re crafty creatures.