What would you do if you kept seeing moths flying around but couldn’t see distinctive signs of a moth infestation? Most people would ignore the fluttering pests or assume they were coming from outside. Something similar happened to one of our recent clients. At first, he didn’t think much of the moths in his living room, but soon he realised they were seeing more and more of them. After reading a lot about how destructive moths can be, our client decided to be on the safe side and call a professional exterminator to check the situation. This is why he contacted us.
This is one of the most interesting inspections we’ve carried out recently. Unlike many other moth infestations we have treated over the years, in this property, the true source of the problem was hidden in a place no one suspected. This case is a great example of how visible moth activity doesn’t always reveal where an infestation is coming from, and a thorough inspection is essential when dealing with persistent moth problems.
Things didn’t add up, so our technician kept looking
When our technician was called to the property, the client told him they regularly saw moths flying around the living room, particularly around their large 3-seater sofa. Our technician moved the sofa to the centre of the room so he could examine it from every angle. Upon inspection, our technician found no signs of a moth infestation other than a couple of live and a few dead clothes moths under the sofa. Surprisingly, there were no traces of moth activity on the sofa either – no damage, no webbing, nothing. So, our colleague specifically asked if there are any storage areas and hidden cupboards. Unfortunately, checking all the storage areas pointed out by our client also showed no traces of moths, so, our technician went back to the living room to return the sofa to its place.
The real source of the problem
Thinking about what he might be missing, the technician accidentally knocked down a couple of photo frames by the window while moving the furniture. He apologised and began straightening the photo frames and placing them back together when something caught his attention. That’s when our colleague suddenly realised that the surface they were standing on was not an ordinary windowsill but the lid of a hidden storage cupboard the client was unaware of.
It turned out that our client was a tenant at the property and never knew about this cupboard. When they lifted the lid and looked inside, they saw loads of old forgotten belongings and among them – the source of the pest problem. It looked like some of the previous tenants had left an old rug that was heavily infested. And while this discovery was very unpleasant for our client, it also brought a huge sense of relief, because finding it meant that the infestation could finally be eliminated. After the rug was removed from the flat, our technician conducted a ULV fumigation, and the moth problem was successfully tackled.
What you can learn from this moth infestation case
This case is a good reminder that moth infestations are not always as straightforward as they first appear. Here are three lessons you can take from this case:
The visible signs can be misleading
For our client, the biggest mystery was seeing moths around the sofa for months but not finding any obvious signs of an infestation, such as damage or larvae. However, this is not unusual with clothes moths. The adult insects you see flying around have only one goal – to mate and lay eggs. The tiny moth eggs are usually laid in dark secluded areas near a suitable food source. But the actual damage is done by the larvae, which usually feed on keratin-rich materials like wool, fur, feathers or other natural fibres.
The sofa was the first place our technician inspected, as it was where the client noticed the most moth activity. But since the sofa showed no evidence of being a feeding or breeding site, our technician knew the source of the infestation had to be somewhere else in the property.
If you keep seeing moths but can’t find damaged clothing, carpets, rugs or upholstery nearby, don’t assume the problem isn’t there. It may mean the true source of the infestation is hidden in an area that hasn’t yet been inspected thoroughly.
Don’t overlook stored items
Some of the worst infestations we have treated involved stored items like wool rugs, blankets, coats, boxes of clothing and other textiles and this case is the perfect example of this exact scenario. It’s also worth mentioning that, despite popular belief, clothes moths don’t feed only on pure natural fibres. They can also damage blended fabrics and even some synthetic materials if they contain traces of organic matter such as sebum, sweat or food residues. For example, an old pair of synthetic trainers forgotten at the back of a shoe cabinet can provide enough food for larvae and become the starting point of an infestation.
If you are moving into a rented property or buying a new home, take the time to inspect storage cupboards, loft spaces and built-in cabinets for any old textiles, leather, fur or feather items left behind by previous occupants. If you decide to keep any of these items, make sure they are treated properly before bringing them into regular use.
A thorough inspection is the key to successful moth control
As this case shows, a careful inspection is often just as important as the treatment itself if you want to eliminate a moth infestation successfully. So, if you’ve been seeing moths in your home but can’t work out where they’re coming from, contact a certified moth exterminator. A professional inspection can identify hidden harbourages and ensure the treatment targets the infestation at its source.
