Do Moths Eat Wool Carpets

How to discover moths in your home.

Do moths eat wool carpets. Just one eighth of an inch long moth larvae cause more damage that one would think. Moths can cause a problem for rugs if not taken care of properly moths sustain themselves during the larvae period this is when they need to get the nutrition needed to thrive. Moths eat wool rugs because the fibers offer nutrition and a comfortable place to lay eggs. To eliminate moths that have taken up residence in a wool rug there are several steps you can take.

Items such as secondhand furniture upholstered furniture and other home furnishings can be home for these pests. Clothes moth eggs or larvae also can hide in woolen fabrics or rugs. Holes or frayed edges to your rug or carpet. Beetle larvae can feed on fabric for a year or more and moth larvae may cause damage for a couple of months.

They will eat at those areas first. Both insects lay eggs in secluded spots with plenty of food wool fur down shed pet dander and other animal based materials. The larvae need somewhere to grow so the moth will search out somewhere with hair skin and food debris due to vacuuming being done poorly or infrequently. Even if you don t have wool or silk carpets and most people don t that doesn t mean that they will be moth free.

If you can count around 5 moths in one room it s considered a serious moth infestation. Damage to woolens is actually done by the larvae of two types of insects. The fibres of synthetic carpets are still the perfect place for clothes moths to hide their eggs. A moth problem can easily become a moth disaster for your rugs and the rest of your home.

Carpet moths can eat their way through thick wool carpets and even manmade fibre carpets at incredible speed leaving your flooring with unattractive patches. Clothes moths and carpet beetles the latter being more prevalent than moths in most areas of the country. Moths are also drawn to the keratin in dog and cat fur. When these eggs hatch the larvae may not eat the fibres of synthetic carpets but they will eat the dirt that collects in it.

Carpet moths are mostly attracted to natural fibres and can destroy carpets all around your home. You can spot signs of carpet moths including. Since the larvae need animal based material to eat wool or blended wool rugs are a favorite item in which the females will lay their eggs. Adult moths congregating on your rug or carpet.

Eggs and larvae of moths and beetles can be carried into homes on articles containing wool or other animal fibers. Moths especially love wool rugs. Larvae emerge within a few weeks. Once the eggs hatch the moths larvae get ready to feast.

If the owners have pets that have had several accidents then we remind them sooner because for some unknown reason moths in particular love urine soaked wool fibers. Carpet moths have a strong sense of smell. They are attracted in particular to the scent of fur silk and wool.