Pest control for Clothes Moths in London

You’re most likely to notice you have a problem with clothes moths when you find holes in your favourite cashmere jumper. In fact, it is actually the larvae, rather than the moths, that feed on your clothes leaving small holes in their wake.

They don’t restrict themselves to your clothes either; they are rather partial to a good woollen carpet or a tasty sofa. Aside from noticing holes in your clothes, you may see a silvery-looking silken web across the surface – this is what forms the larvae case and because of this, they are also known as the webbing moth.

The larvae will feed on any material containing the animal protein keratin, hence they prefer your expensive wool, silk, cashmere, feathers or fur rather than cheaper man-made fabrics. They will also eat cotton and other natural fibres, but will only go for synthetics if they are heavily stained with perspiration or food.

 The moths themselves are rather small at 5mm – 7mm in length and brownish in colour with a golden or silver sheen.  The eggs are whitish and the larvae are opaque white with brown heads.  These moths rarely fly into lights, preferring complete darkness such as a closet or storage chest. The females move by running or hopping and if you see one flying it is probably a male. The larvae take around 6 weeks to develop and it is during this time that they feed on fabric.

Fortunately, they are less common these days than they once were.  The increase of man-made fibre in clothing and soft furnishings and the drier atmosphere created by central heating means our homes are not so accommodating to them.

A professional Dyno-Pest technician will thoroughly examine the property to locate the source of the problem and treat it accordingly. If the source is not located and the eggs and larvae not dealt with, the visible moths may be removed, but the infestation will not be eradicated.

Insecticides should be used carefully and a fully-trained Dyno-Pest technician will be able to eliminate the problem efficiently and safely.

Pest Control for Carpet Beetles in London

There are several kinds of carpet beetle, but in the south east of the UK we mainly encounter the varied carpet beetle, however we also see the black ‘fur’ beetle and the furniture carpet beetle.  The varied carpet beetle is oval in shape, 2-4mm long and a mottled black, brown and grey or cream colour. The black ‘fur’ beetle is oblong in shape, approximately 4 – 6mm long and has a single white spot on each wing case. The furniture carpet beetle is around 2-4mm long and brown or black in colour.

It’s not the beetles themselves that pose the problem, but their larvae.

The adult beetle feeds outside on pollen and nectar, but ventures indoors to lay eggs – up to 100 at a time. These eggs, a creamy white colour, will hatch into larvae in around 4 weeks. Known as “woolly bears” because of their hairy appearance, these furry creatures can happily munch on your carpets and rugs for 3 – 4 months before maturing into the adult beetle. As they grow, they moult their skins and these may be the first sign of an infestation.

The larvae will eat any animal-based product such as wool, silk, fur, feathers, and can also be found in sheepskin and leather products as well as clothing made from any of these materials.

The more expensive an item in general, the more likely it is that the carpet beetle will damage it.

As carpet beetles and the common cloths moth are both textile pests, signs of an infestation are similar. You may notice holes in textile products, though with moths, you’re more likely to see small holes in different areas and with the beetles will see larger holes in one area.  To differentiate between the two pests, the cloths moth larvae will leave a silken web across the surface, which the beetles don’t, while the beetles’ larvae will leave behind a skin as they moult.

In order to eliminate a beetle problem, it’s essential to trace the source of the infestation. Our fully-trained Dyno-Pest technicians will examine the property to locate the source and recommend the appropriate solution.

The best way to treat an infestation is through a thorough application of insecticide and Dyno-Pest’s specialists will be able to administer this effectively and safely.