Moth control across the UK
Holes in a wool jumper, bare patches at the edge of a rug, or small pale moths fluttering out of a wardrobe usually mean clothes moths, and by the time you see the adults the larvae have been feeding for a while. JG Pest Control treats moth infestations in homes and businesses across every mainland county of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with technicians who are RSPH (BPCA) Level 2 certified and trained.
It is the larvae that do the damage, not the moths you see flying. They feed on keratin, the protein in natural fibres such as wool, cashmere, silk, fur and feathers, and they do it in dark, undisturbed places: the back of a wardrobe, under heavy furniture, in stored clothes and along carpet edges. Because the eggs and larvae are tiny and hidden, a moth problem usually needs treating as a whole, not item by item.
Which moths are eating your clothes?
Two moths cause most of the fabric damage in UK homes:
- The common clothes moth. A small, plain, straw-coloured moth that prefers to run or hide rather than fly. Its larvae spin silk tunnels and patches of webbing on the fabric they eat.
- The case-bearing clothes moth. Slightly darker, with faint spots on the wings. Its larvae carry a small silk case, often the colour of the fabric, wherever they go.
Moths in the kitchen are a different problem: those are usually pantry moths in stored food, which need a different approach. See our pantry moths guide.
Signs of clothes moths
How we treat clothes moths
We start by finding where the larvae are feeding, which is rarely just the room where you saw the moths. Wardrobes, drawers, under beds, carpet edges and any stored clothing or textiles are checked, along with lofts and voids where old fabric or bird nests can feed larvae out of sight.
Treatment is then matched to the property and the items affected:
- Residual insecticide treatment of carpets, skirting edges, wardrobes and the areas where larvae are active, which keeps working as eggs hatch.
- Heat treatment, where it suits the property, which raises the treated area to a temperature that kills moths and holds it there long enough to reach every stage of their life cycle, eggs included.
We give you written preparation instructions before the visit, and advice afterwards on cleaning, storage and monitoring, so the problem does not return.
Helping the treatment work
Whatever treatment you have, a few things help it work and stop the moths coming back:
- Vacuum thoroughly along carpet edges, under furniture and inside wardrobes, and empty the vacuum outside straight away.
- Wash or dry clean affected clothes before they go back in the wardrobe.
- Store woollens and other natural fibres clean, in sealed bags or boxes.
- Move heavy furniture and rugs occasionally, so there are fewer undisturbed spots for larvae.
More on moths and fabric pests
Frequently asked questions
Usually clothes moth larvae. Carpet beetle larvae cause similar damage, so it is worth checking for small hairy larvae or round beetles on window sills too. A technician can tell you which you have, as the treatment differs.
No. The adult moths do not feed at all. All of the damage is done by the larvae, which is why treatment has to reach the places they are feeding, not just the moths you can see.
Clothes moths are a household pest, and centrally heated homes give them warmth all year, so they are not limited to a summer season indoors.
Pheromone traps catch some adult males and are useful for showing whether you have moths and where. They do not kill the eggs or larvae, so on their own they will not clear an infestation.
Yes. We treat moths in hotels, care homes, offices, retail and storage, as well as homes, and can work around opening hours.
Guides & Advice
Roy Couch is the Technician Manager at JG Pest Control, leading the technician team across the UK. He holds the BPCA Diploma and the RSPH Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Aluminium Phosphide, and is qualified in the Safe Use of Rodenticides.
Peter Bowers-Davis is a board volunteer at the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), the UK trade body for professional pest management. He works across the Tyro UK group of companies, including JG, setting technical standards, treatment protocols and training programmes.