What’s eating your clothes?

 

All of these pests can damage your fine clothing. They all have been known to feed on wool: wool carpet, wool clothing, furs, hides, pet hair, feathers, and silk. All can be founds as victims of pesky insects. They are after the protein found in all of these fibers.

 

Moths and carpet beetles in the larva stage, the adult silverfish and firebrats, house and field crickets adults. They will also feed on linen, cotton and rayon which have been soiled with milk, juice, food, lint, urine, beer, body oils and perspiration.

 

Clothing Moths

 

Both the Casemaking and Webbing Clothes Moths prefer temperate climates the world over. The female can lay up to 200 eggs which will hatch in 3 - 21 days. They will inhabitant closets, drawers, and storage area.

Early signs of a moth infestation are small holes in sleeves, underarm, collars, and crotch and in stained areas.

Crickets

 

Both the field and House Cricket Adults will feed on silk, wool, nylon, rayon and wood.

Keep all areas in and around your home free of moisture, dense vegetation and weeds. Make sure all windows and door screens have fitting screen.

 

Carpet Beetles

 

Carpet Beetles are what we see the most damage from. There are four types and all are common in our region. However, the Black and Varied are the most common.

Silk and wool are the only fabrics that can support the carpet beetles complete development.

The adults live on plant pollen especially white flowers; however they can cause damage to fabrics as well. They may enter your home on your clothes or through small holes in screens.

The larva stage causes the most damage to fabrics or items of animal origin. Some may also invade the pantry and feed on cereal grain products. The eggs may invade your home on items that are already contaminated.

 

Silverfish and Firebrats

 

Silverfish and firebrat diets are high in protein, sugar or starch. This includes cereals, moist wheat flour, starch in book bindings and wallpaper paste. They may bite holes in a variety of fabrics which include wood, cotton, linen, and silk even though they cannot digest either linen or cotton fibers. Firebrats feed on rayon. They may leave a yellowish stain on the fabric.

Both of these pests like warm damp areas in the home. Basements, kitchens, bathrooms, storage areas and attic.

 

Suggestions:

 

~ Dry clean all brand new clothes before they are taken home from the store. Clean all clothes before they are stored for the season. Store air tight.

~ Prevention is your best bet. Vacuum carpets, base boards, clothes closets, air ducts, rugs, drapes & upholstered furniture, radiators surfaces behind hard to clean items, closet shelves, corners, cracks, moldings and areas where lint may accumulate. Do this often enough to prevent the accumulation of hair and lint.

~Dry clean or launder wools and wool blends. Place and store in air tight containers.

~ Check window and door screens for small holes.

~ Moth balls, flakes, crystals and Cedar chips, chest and closets are only repellents. None of these will kill the insects.

~ Natural repellents include: Essential oils of citronella, sandalwood, cloves, lavender, spearmint, peppermint, and cinnamon. Sachets of flowers and oils help repel the insects.

~ Chemical control would include the dry cleaning of clothing especially when they are new. And using bug bombs that list controlling black carpet beetles and moths. They may include Dursban, Dianzinon, Sevin, Ammonium Phenate Bromideand Bendiocarb are all pesticides and should be used with caution and by instructions only.