Description of the fur coat moth and how to deal with it

A mole eating a fur coat is a problem that is familiar to many. In order to permanently rid yourself of these pests, it is important not only to regularly carry out preventive measures, but also to respond in a timely manner to the slightest signs of the appearance of insects.

The fur coat moth is also often referred to as the house moth. As the name suggests, this pest prefers to feed on natural furs. The insect caterpillars are white in color and outwardly resemble eight-legged worms. The translucent body allows you to see the insides of the larva. Moth butterflies are painted in a sandy hue. The span of their transparent wings with several points reaches 14-17 millimeters. Moth eggs are almost impossible to see with the naked eye, since their length does not exceed 0.5 millimeters. White oval grains transform into larvae within a week.

The peculiarity of domestic moths is that adults, deprived of the oral apparatus, do not harm the products. However, they hatch a large number of larvae, which not only eat up some of the hairs, but also cut off the remaining ones that interfere with movement. Such a specific choice of food is explained by the presence of keratin in the villi at the molecular level - that is, a protein required for the vital activity of an insect. This, by the way, also indicates that the pest is not interested in artificial fur.

It is possible to understand that a mole has started up in a fur coat by several signs. It is necessary to clarify that the pest eats the fur product both in summer and in winter. It absorbs fur gradually, moving from one area to another and forming bald spots. The eaten fur coat looks less attractive than it should be, and clearly loses its neatness. At the bottom of the cabinet or on the walls of the cover, hairs are found that have not been eaten by insects, and the surface of the product becomes clumpy.

If folds, bumps or wrinkles began to form on the fur coat, then, most likely, the crawling larva is to blame. The characteristic signs of the impact of moths can also be attributed to individual "bald" spots and villi sticking out in different directions. If pest butterflies have already appeared in the room, then this means that the situation requires urgent measures.

In order to protect an expensive fur product from moths, it is best to act in several directions, combining, for example, mechanical protection, covers and special means. When starting to fight moths, it is also important to understand what to do if some pieces of clothing remain damaged. Despite the fact that numerous bald spots and shreds still require the destruction of the product, small flaws can be painted over with a pile-colored marker, closed with a brooch or embroidery, or hidden in a specially created fold.

For a mink coat, it is imperative to purchase a special cover - a thin case of average cost, treated with repellent repellents. On the one hand, the smell repels both butterflies and larvae, and on the other, a tightly closing system does not allow them to penetrate inside. It is important to choose the correct size of the product, otherwise its effectiveness will decrease. Manufacturers of these covers, as a rule, try to give the products a pleasant aroma for a person. The Raptor brand cover is called the most effective.

By the way, the right decision would be generally to place all fur coats in a separate wardrobe, as often the moth that appears on woolen clothes "jumps" onto the fur. If there is no opportunity to purchase a special case, then you should at least keep the case in which the fur product was sold.

The most effective way to get rid of the larvae will be with the help of insecticides that can kill insects, but keep the product itself in the best possible form. It will be enough to purchase a ready-made product and process the fur coat removed from the cabinet with it from all sides in accordance with the instructions, including folds, lining and pockets. As an option, it can be Raptor, Clean House or Antimol aerosols. It is also possible to use a spray. Next, the product must be removed for several days in a special case or in a sealed plastic bag, into which the active substance is also injected.

Before you buy a spray or aerosol, it is important to determine its composition. In order not to spoil the mink or other expensive fur, there should be no persistent dyes or sticky substances among the components. Do not worry that the fur coat will start to smell bad after contact with insecticides, since the latter do not saturate the fur with their aroma. As a preventive measure, it makes sense to periodically spray this tool on the inner surface of the cabinet and the outerwear itself, but only in accordance with the instructions.

At the initial stage of occurrence, the mole can also be removed with the help of a fumigator. This device, located in the closet, is able to scare off moths and prevent accidentally flown butterflies from multiplying. It is worth adding that if the situation requires emergency measures, and there are no milling aerosols, it makes sense to use sprays against other pests and parasites. First, you should definitely test on a small piece of fur in order to assess its reaction to active components, and then proceed to full-fledged processing.

Sometimes it is possible to remove home moths by simply exposing the fur coat to extreme heat or frost several times, since high and low temperatures negatively affect the state of the larvae. However, this method is not considered too effective, in addition, the product itself may suffer from temperature extremes. Outerwear can be taken to a dry cleaner or even to a sanitary and epidemiological station, where it can be treated with heat.

Despite the fact that many housewives at home prefer to use folk remedies, it is important to understand that they are able to save a fur coat only at the initial stage of insect exposure. To scare away insects, it is worth placing some strong-smelling objects in the closet. Ideally, this should be a fragrant toilet soap, but you can also experiment with chestnuts, essential oils, dry lavender, or citrus peels. Some fur owners put cloves of garlic in the closet. It is even easier to put several pots of geraniums in the room and regularly open the doors so that the odor unpleasant for the moths seeps inside.

Proper storage of a natural fur coat is an important preventive measure. When buying, you should check with the seller what you need to do to save the product from larvae. Knowledgeable people are able to tell about the proper care of outerwear, and about emergency measures. Since the condition of the fur is strongly influenced by the liquid, you should not wear a fur coat in wet weather. If it was not possible to avoid rain or sleet, then the surface should be thoroughly dried at room temperature, however, without using a hairdryer, heater or electrical appliances. It is likely that the artificially elevated temperature will not harm the larvae, but it will ruin the fur.

Upon arrival from the street, the fur coat must be shaken off slightly, and then hung on a hanger of a suitable size. It will be possible to straighten all the villi with the help of special brushes. It is important to do this after exposure to rain, as wet clumps become ideal breeding grounds for parasites. Then the product is dried naturally.

Store a fur product in summer with special precautions, as this season increases the likelihood of contact between a fur coat and a moth. The first step is to remove all stains, but not with your own hands, but in dry cleaning. After inspecting the product, it is worth assessing the condition of the fasteners, buttons and lining. In the hot months, a fur coat requires maintaining the temperature from 0 to +18 degrees and a humidity level of 45-50%. If the creation of such conditions is not possible, then the product should be removed from the case every 5-6 weeks, ventilated and combed.

Inspection of outerwear before purchase is considered an important preventive measure. It happens that even in expensive salons, the fur is exposed to insects, so it is extremely important to find out if there are specific thin paths on the surface. Already at home, a purchased fur coat is hung out for several days on the balcony for airing, but only under the condition of absolutely dry weather. By the way, whether it will be a cold or warm day is not so important.

It is not recommended to leave fur products next to woolen ones, as well as to use synthetic covers that spoil the pile. It should be added that if there are suspicions that wool products stored in the same cabinet are already contaminated, they should be immediately frozen by putting them in the freezer, or by taking them out to the balcony. A sharp drop in temperature will lead to the destruction of eggs and larvae in the tissue.

It is better to ventilate all rooms regularly to normalize both the temperature regime and the level of humidity. The inside of dressers and cabinets can also be wiped with a vinegar solution, after removing all things. Clothes are put back only when the surfaces are dry.