The Enemy In The Closet

Most moths are harmless to humans, but step inside the boudoirs and it's a different story. Our wardrobes are under siege from clothes-eating moths – or, to be more precise, their larvae.

Global warming has seen a surge in moth numbers, but improved insulation and overuse of central heating also make our closets more attractive nesting grounds than ever before. Moths love to remain cosy and undisturbed in the darkest corners of your home, ideally at a temperature of 20°C.

But it's not all science. These are hungry creatures – and their favourite dish is cashmere. And as the super-soft fibres become more affordable, it's banquet time for tiny, hungry larvae with expensive tastes. Cashmere, a "must-have" luxury textile, was until recently only accessible to those rich enough to blow £300 on a jumper. But now cheap cashmere made in China has entered the market, enabling supermarket chains, such as Tesco, to sell cashmere cardies for under £30.

So what exactly are these tiny critters that play havoc with our clobber? Meet the common clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella. The adult is four millimetres long and golden in colour, while its larvae – the grubs that actually do the damage – are white. Its destruction leaves a white silken trail that resembles cobwebs.

The common clothes moth's partner in crime is the case-bearing clothes moth Tinea pellionella, which prefers to attack woollen carpets. Slightly larger and grey-coloured as an adult, its larvae munch rugs and tapestries from the safety of a mobile cocoon.

Although common clothes moths chomp their way through cashmere, lambswool, fur, feathers, silk and even sometimes cotton, they turn their noses up at synthetic textiles – unless your poly blends are sweetened with food scraps or sweat stains. So those with the most fabulous wardrobes are likely to find themselves hit hardest when their fine woollens go into storage over the summer breeding season.

New infestations might begin with a moth flying into one's wardrobe, but it is second-hand goods that are more usually the culprit. A taste for vintage clothing, antique rugs and old upholstered furniture is often to blame.

To ensure you don't introduce the moths, vintage clothes should be dry-cleaned before going in a closet. If you have a large, empty freezer, putting woollens in sub-zero temperatures (from minus 18 to minus 25) for a few days can also destroy eggs, although the garments should be wrapped in plastic first to a prevent a potentially damaging build-up of condensation. It is only by destroying eggs, that the problem can be solved in the long term.

Clothes-eating moths have a life cycle of 65 to 90 days – a relatively long time in the insect kingdom – and the adults can lay 40 to 50 eggs in that time. By the time you've seen the adults flying around, it's too late. The next generation will already have established itself in a trouser turn-up or wardrobe hinges, waiting to hatch.

There are a number of measures you can take to try and prevent moths from making your clothes their next meal. If you are going to store your garments for any period of time, then they should be thoroughly washed and mothballs or sachets containing horse chestnut, cedar wood or lavender should be placed alongside them.

Careful storage of clothes will ensure that your garments will emerge in the same way that they were stored – invest in some garment bags, especially for storing winter clothes in the summer.

SDA Pest Control, "Long Acre", Bluntisham Road, Needingworth, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
01480 465684