How do I know if I have cloth moths?

MIKA80 · #1 (**permalink**) 14-01-2010, 02:16 PM

Hello, it might be a silly question but .... how do I know if I have cloth moths??? Would I see them fly around at all? I know that if you see holes in your clothes you KNOW you have them but we just moved into a new apt and my husband kept some of his clothes for years locked in a closet in his parents house ..... then he brought them to the new apartment .... but he noticed the holes only after 3/4 months we had moved in ..... so I am freaking out ..... I don't know who I am fighting against or if I am fighting against anything at all? am I infested?? Is his parents' house infested??? I don't know!! He keeps on finding new holes in one of his woolen suits and he found holes also in his woolen sweaters (also stored at his parents house for awhile but not in the same closet as the suit).

What should I do???? I never saw any insect fly around my new apartment. This is a relatively new apartment with lacquered wooden closets, I wiped everything down with detergent (all shelves etc) before moving in ...... can they have survived anyway??? But why I don't see them??? If they laid the eggs, wouldn't they eventually turn into flying moths??? I am so frustrated as I don't know if I should worry about my new apt being infested or blame his parent's house - matter is he keeps o finding new holes but they might have been there before he might have just not have noticed them!

Also, I use a different closet and I haven't noticed any holes in my sweaters (yet) -

After cleaning the shelves I put some lavender soap all over the closet ...... (I read lavender or any strong smell keeps them away).

Please help!!

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 14-01-2010, 03:23 PM

Hi Mika, and welcome to WAB!

I don't know where the moths may have come from - if indeed it is moths - but mothballs may be a good preventative measure. Also keeping suits in clear plastic sleeves may reduce damage, the type suits come back in from dry-cleaners.

Have you seen any 8-10mm cases around - they're often quite pale and soft looking, with a worm-like larvae looking out - the larvae of the adults are often more noticeable - and numbersome! You'll find these in sheltered areas around wardrobes if it is a Case moth issue.

Take care,

Jason

MIKA80 · #3 (**permalink**) 14-01-2010, 10:26 PM

Hi Jason, thank you so much for your answer.

To answer your questions, no I haven't seen anything "suspicious" as larvaes or insects - the only insects I saw were in a bag of rice that I threw away but were more of small little ants looking kind of insect (didn't fly at all).
I'll look more carefully though.

I have been told that usually you don't find cloth moths in lacquered wooden closets but maybe that's not true.

I am allergic to moth balls but I ordered cedar blocks and lavender sachets hoping they will work ...... unfortunately I believe I'll never know if the holes happened in my apartment or in my in-laws, it makes more sense if it happened in my in-laws house as the suit had been stored for years there, without being used but I hate just "guessing" ... I'll need to take action and maybe clean the closet again.

Thanks