How to get rid of fruit or food moths in the kitchen?

The main species of moth

In fact, biologists count about 40 different families of seemingly common moths. We will undoubtedly be interested only in those species of moths that are capable of settling in our latitudes. So, the most dangerous (or gluttonous) for our housing are:

• The so-called furniture moth, which feeds on natural furniture fabrics and can even live in natural wood.
• A clothing moth that feeds exclusively on woolen products.
• A fur coat moth that considers natural furs a delicacy.
• Food or grain (cereal) moth, living exclusively in the kitchen, in one or another package of cereals.
• And also a fruit or mushroom moth, an insect that is able to feed on dried fruits (apples, pears, prunes, etc.), mushrooms and even nuts.

How to store your own dried fruit

Experienced housewives, who have thrown away spoiled fruits more than once, try to prepare them on their own and keep them for a long time. In order for them to be stored correctly and for a long time, we advise you to take some measures.

Store assorted fruits and nuts in separate containers

Drying rules and preparation for storage:

1. To keep the fruit dry evenly, you need to cut them into equal pieces or slices.
2. In the process of drying, the ready-made dried fruits are laid in a cooler place, the remaining chopped fruits are turned over and tied up, bringing to the required drying.
3. Choose a hermetically sealed storage container: tight but breathable bags, containers with lids or glass jars.
4. Before packing, the container must be sterilized; containers, if they are not heat-resistant, use disposable containers.
5. Fill them with dried fruits to 2/3 of the height, leaving room for air.
6. The containers are stored at a temperature of about +10 degrees.

During the entire storage period, it is necessary to check the condition of the product, taking into account the moisture and the presence of pests. The main insects infecting dried fruits are fruit moths and aphids.

How to avoid insects?

How to store dried apples so that moths do not start? In order to secure dried fruits

for most problems such as insects, mold and diseases, it is advised to resort to disinfected and sealed packaging.

Paper and cellophane bags for similar purposes undesirable

: one small hole or torn corner, and pests can easily get to your products.

In addition, there is no ventilation in plastic bags, condensation will accumulate, which can lead to mold growth

.

In this plan the best solution

there will be glass jars with tight-fitting lids, thick cloth bags and metal containers. The inner surface of the containers can be covered with wax or any other paper. After the dried fruits have been poured inside, they also need to be covered
paper sheet
.

As a storage room for the received container, you can choose shaded

shelves and wall cabinets. In places where it can accumulate
wet air
, like the floor, it is better not to leave dried fruits. The room should be regularly ventilated and kept at the optimum temperature. Better if it is space
not hotter than + 10 ° С
.
A small cup or deep bowl with table salt
.

She will absorb unwanted moisture

while maintaining an unattractive atmosphere for moths.

During storage, once every couple of weeks, you should carefully inspect the contents of bags or cans.

If the apples feel like you sticky, damp and easily bendable

, you will have to replace the paper, as well as dry well both dried fruits and containers for them.

Many insects cannot tolerate certain types of odors, which reliably scare them away from the desired food. Among such means, when storing drying from apples, put next to it will help bay leaves, oregano, lavender, acacia.

Also, it will not be superfluous to decompose in the same place. dried lemon peel, tangerine

or other citrus fruits. The main thing is to keep them separately, and not inside bags or jars of apples, so that the latter are not saturated with other people's aromas.

It is safe to store the dryer outdoors in fine summer weather. balcony or windowsill

... Wrap the dried fruits in wooden boxes or plastic buckets with a clean, dense cloth, like gauze, which would allow fresh air to pass through, but prevent the ingress of dust and insects. About 3-6 layers of gauze are enough for protection.

Never leave in rainy and stuffy weather

apples on a closed balcony. Otherwise, the reserves will soften from moisture or rot.

Features of storage of dried mushrooms

I'm thinking about how to store dried mushrooms, you need to understand what container and place are suitable for this.

Dry mushrooms are best stored using the following containers:

• bags made of cotton, linen;
• paper bags;
• cardboard boxes;
• glass or ceramic jars;
• containers with vacuum lids.

The place for storing mushrooms should be dry, there should be good ventilation, and there should be no products with pronounced aromas nearby.

How to get rid of fruit moths? Ways to fight

Fruit moth (larvae) in dried fruit

The fight against fruit moths is complicated by one important point - you cannot use chemical insecticides. If, for example, you have bed mites in your house, then it is enough to use special chemicals and carry out cleaning. But the fruit moth lives in food, so this method is excluded.

So what should you do to get rid of moths? Using special traps and duct tape is a good option. They need to be placed in the habitat of the fruit moth: next to cabinets, pantries, shelves where you store grains, dried fruits, nuts.

Of course, such traps will help reduce the number of insects in the house, but there is no guarantee that you can get rid of them forever.

As soon as you notice that a fruit moth has appeared in the house, you need to immediately get rid of all contaminated foods. Go through fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, grains, etc. Contaminated foods should not be eaten, as they can be dangerous to humans.

All containers in which you stored contaminated food should be thoroughly washed and treated with a vinegar solution. Gloves should be worn to protect your skin from vinegar burns. The solution should be left for at least half an hour. Vinegar has an unpleasant and pungent smell, so after processing, you need to ventilate the room well.

We also recommend that you walk the vinegar solution over the shelves and cabinets, as the larvae could get into the cracks. This step will prevent contamination of new foods that you put in your cupboards.

Folk remedies to combat fruit moths

Simple folk remedies can also help in the fight against insects, many of which are in every home.

To combat moths, you can use:

• Lavender. The strong scent of this herb scares away all butterflies. To protect food from fruit moths, you can arrange dried lavender in cupboards.
• Mint and lemon balm.The sharp, refreshing aroma is also not to the taste of the fruit moth. These herbs can be used in a similar way to lavender.
• Bay leaf. It is enough to spread it out in the closet and the fruit moth will leave your home. Bay leaves are not as effective as lavender, but their advantage is that they are always at hand.
• Citrus. Orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit have a strong aroma that will also help ward off fruit moths. To fight insects, arrange the crusts in the cupboards where the food is stored. The disadvantage of this method is that the smell disappears quickly, so you need to constantly change the crusts to fresh ones.
• Garlic. It has a pungent and unpleasant odor that repels moths. Fresh, peeled garlic cloves should be placed in the cupboards.
• Salt. Salt absorbs excess moisture and creates a dry microclimate unsuitable for fruit moths. In addition, salt will help prevent mildew and keep the dried fruit moist. You need to pour salt into open containers, for example, saucers and place them in the cabinets.

Please note that over time, insects develop immunity to folk remedies, so they need to be changed to be more effective.

By the way, good news for gardeners: all types of geraniums have a high content of essential oils that repel fruit moths. Pelargonium will not only decorate your home and give it a pleasant scent, but it will also help in the fight against insects.

Prevention methods

Mole in dried fruits will not start and the hostess will save her supplies if she adheres to such simple recommendations:

• you can protect the room from the penetration of an adult moth with the help of mosquito grids on the ventilation openings;
• give preference to the purchase of dried fruits in vacuum packaging;
• choose your own container for storage for each type of drying;
• periodically audit and check the status of their stocks;
• immediately after purchase, dry the food in the oven with the door open;
• some types of dried fruit are best kept refrigerated;
• ventilate the pantry more often and keep it clean.

To prevent a valuable product from spoiling, it is better not to buy it in large quantities. It is more advisable to eat existing dried fruits, and then buy new ones.

If you have your own large harvest, then it is important to choose the correct storage method and adhere to other recommendations that will not give insects any chance.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter. We will definitely fix it, and you will have + karma

Young mothers and grandmothers prefer compotes, for the preparation of which dried fruits are used, rather than packaged and bottled drinks. Indeed, in store juices there is a huge amount of preservatives and various dyes. Therefore, in the villages, apricots are constantly dried, as well as pears and apples. If you do not follow the storage rules, then over time, a fruit moth appears. You can cope with it if you start fighting immediately.

And a little more about prevention

The following tips will help you avoid moth reoccurrence:

• Try not to store food for more than 2-4 months and, of course, do not store supplies that are past their expiration date.
• Store foods that you rarely use in the refrigerator.
• Buy dry foods in small quantities so you can eat them within a couple of months.
• Buy groceries only from well-known manufacturers and check the quality of the goods in the store whenever possible. To be sure, freeze freshly purchased cereals, cereals, flour, nuts, dried fruits and other products for 3-4 days (dry).
• Store pet food, such as bird seeds or fishing bait, outside the kitchen.

Many people have faced the problem of food moths. These insects settle in bags with cereals and constantly fly around the kitchen. If you notice this, you have a food moth.

If you come across small black insects in bulk products, then immediately throw away all infected cereals and do a general cleaning of the cabinets. Go through all the suspicious cereals.

In another article, we talked about spoiling food. In this article, we will discuss another insect that damages our food. Food moth settles in foods, lives in them, lays eggs. So it is better to get rid of such cereals, because their waste products have already spoiled food.

Where does it come from

The appearance of fruit moths in the house can be explained as follows:

1. An insect enters through an open window. The moth flies into the light. Indoors, he selects a suitable place for laying eggs and dies after 2-3 days. One moth is hard to spot. The fact that the infection has occurred becomes clear by the appearance of gluttonous larvae.
2. During the preparation for drying, the eggs of the pest may end up on apples or pears. Over time, drying is placed in a dark place (closet, pantry), which is a favorable place for the development of the larva.
3. Sometimes the fruit moth is brought into the house with groceries. If drying ends, then the fruit moth can lay eggs in cereals, flour, tea, nuts. Only coffee and spices are not attracted to this parasite.

Even in sealed containers and sealed bags, eggs, larvae or butterflies can be found.

How to get rid of

If the moth is already flying around the kitchen with might and main, and its larvae are filled with food, then urgent measures must be taken. There are a variety of ways to get rid of fruit moths. The main thing is to act without delay.

As soon as the larvae have been seen, the following measures must be taken immediately:

1. All contaminated foods must be disposed of without regret, since such dried fruits are no longer suitable for consumption and can even be dangerous.
2. All drying storage containers must be treated with a vinegar solution.
3. Also, the shelves and walls of the cabinet with contaminated dried fruits are treated with vinegar. This is necessary in order to get rid of eggs and larvae, which may have ended up in cracks and hard-to-reach places.

The hostess, while treating the surfaces with vinegar, must protect her hands with rubber gloves from chemical burns. It is advisable to leave the vinegar solution on the surface for 30 minutes. This will completely eliminate the pests.

Traditional methods

In the arsenal of an experienced hostess, there are various folk ways of how to get rid of fruit moths in the kitchen.

However, when fighting insects using folk methods, it is important to remember that the pest gradually develops immunity to them. Therefore, they should be changed periodically in order to improve the result and preservation of dried fruits.

Getting rid of kitchen moths in the kitchen can be provided by the following means:

1. Lavender. This plant has a strong aroma that is not tolerated by almost all insects. You can sew cloth bags, fill them with dried lavender and place them in a drying cabinet. Alternatively, you can use dried mint or lemon balm.
2. Bay leaf. Several leaves can be spread out in the habitat of winged insects. They will also repel pests, but experienced housewives note that laurel is less effective than lavender.
3. Citrus. The zest of orange, tangerine, grapefruit emits a strong aroma that repels pests. But essential oils from them quickly evaporate, so the crusts need to be changed from time to time to new ones.

But with the help of folk methods, it is rarely possible to get rid of moths. They are more suitable for preventing the appearance of the fruit butterfly.

Preventive ways

Techniques that can be used to protect food from flying insects may include the following:

1. Sticky tapes are hung around the kitchen. Traps and tablets suitable for the food area are placed on the shelves of the cabinets.
2. With the onset of cold weather, it is useful to leave the kitchen window open for 20 minutes every evening. Low temperatures adversely affect moths and reduce their activity.
3. In case of severe infection of the room, after the appearance of a large number of moths, insecticides can be applied. But before using them, all food supplies must be placed in an airtight container. Pest control is carried out, and after 20 minutes the cabinets are aired. And they are additionally wiped with baking soda or laundry soap to eliminate the strong smell of insecticides.

External characteristics

If you have observed repeated appearance of butterflies for three weeks, then this is evidence that the infection is serious enough and you need to immediately take steps to eliminate the insects.

The winged moth is no longer capable of causing any harm, since their oral organ is reduced upon reaching puberty. Parasites are their larvae, which, having powerful jaws, feed quite intensively and accumulate energy reserves so that, upon reaching the adult stage, they have the opportunity to reproduce.

Interesting fact! The absence of a proboscis is due to the fact that, reaching puberty, the moth loses not only the ability to eat, but also to digest food. Therefore, they simply do not need this organ.

The caterpillar's head is brown. As a rule, small neat nests and a thin cobweb around them will indicate an infection of dried fruits and vegetables with this type of moth. The larva will be inside the nest.

Ways to deal with moths

You can remove the moth from the apartment by establishing the location of the nests and destroying all the larvae and eggs. In addition, it is necessary to kill all adults that can bring a new generation.

All is fair in the fight against moths

Various methods of control are used to kill moths, namely:

• chemical,
• folk,
• physical.

How to get rid of a pest in a closet

Fur coat moth affects woolen and fur items, as well as:

• felt,
• pen,
• velvet.

The pest reproduces all year round, the caterpillars that have appeared can withstand freezing temperatures and go without food for a whole month. This species of moth lives for about two years.

You can get rid of the larvae that have already appeared by treating things with special preparations, for example, dichlorvos. Preventive measures will help prevent moths from appearing in the closet, namely:

• regular ventilation and drying of things in the fresh air;
• washing and cleaning (with further drying) of clothes sent for storage;
• packing woolen and fur things in tight bags and special covers (preparations for moths are also put there);
• placing in a closet of anti-malt products.

Separately, it should be said about the storage of boots. It is better not to put them in a dark cabinet and pack them in plastic bags. The moth does not like sunlight, so the boots are best placed in breathable fabric bags and kept in a bright, dry place. Storing in a closet is acceptable as a last resort, but the shoes must be regularly ventilated.

Boots should always be dried well.

To prevent the appearance of moths on felt boots, naphthalene is usually used, however, according to reviews, this tool does not always work effectively. For additional options, you can try:

• lavender,
• sagebrush,
• garlic,
• walnut leaves.

It is permissible to transfer felt boots with newspapers and magazines - pests do not like the smell of printing ink very much.

How to protect your carpet

Carpet moths mainly spoil wool products, since synthetics are poorly digested by larvae. And it is the caterpillars that "cut" the carpet, not the butterflies.

The fight against carpet moths primarily consists in the destruction of its offspring. At the same time, you need to know that pests cannot stand:

• Sveta;
• sharp saturated aromas (which, for example, essential oils - lavender, sage and lemon possess);
• cold.

In winter, the carpet can freeze in the snow. It is best to send the affected carpet to the dry cleaner, but you can try to cope with the problem yourself. This requires:

• thoroughly go through the interior with a vacuum cleaner (including the seamy side);
• take the product out in the sun in summer or frost in winter (the carpet should be turned over periodically);
• treat it with a solution of vinegar or lemon juice (one tablespoon of the product per liter of water), then dry it well;
• carry out treatment with chemicals.

Fighting moths on carpet is difficult and time-consuming. To prevent the appearance of a pest, the following preventive measures should be observed:

• vacuum the carpet more often, including from the wrong side;
• spread out (hang) bunches of sage or lavender, place lemon peels next to the carpet;
• use anti-moth plates and carpet tablets (it should be borne in mind that products with naphthalene have a very pungent odor);
• when storing the carpet in a roll, you should not wrap it in plastic wrap, it is better to use a garden covering material.

How to get out of the balcony

With the onset of summer, pests can even appear on the balcony. In urban conditions, as a rule, the so-called poplar moth settles here.

This species is not dangerous to things and human health, however, insects can penetrate electrical devices and cause malfunctions in them. In addition, poplar moth sits on curtains, furniture surfaces, stains and spoils them.

Poplar moth, getting into the apartment, brings a lot of trouble

Prevention and control of insects include:

• installation of mosquito nets,
• using a vacuum cleaner,
• the use of fumigators.

Storing dry apples

In practice, it is not so difficult to protect your home from food moths. First, always be aware of the threat (there is someone who desperately needs your provisions) and take preventive action. And, secondly, having discovered a problem, immediately proceed to its solution and remove the "enemies".

We will tell you how to protect your products from a dangerous pest. These tips won't leave the food moth the slightest chance!

Well-dried apple slices can be stored for up to a year. Such a long shelf life is permissible only if the rules and regulations of storage, as well as the "commodity neighborhood" are observed.

In the sun

In the oven

Electric dryer

To prevent dried fruits from spoiling, several basic storage rules must be observed. It doesn't matter where the drying is stored - in the basement or in the room, the main thing is the following conditions:

• The room must be well ventilated.
• The air must be dry.
• It is advisable that no light enters the place where the drying is.

For better storage of drying, fabric bags are used that will allow air to pass through well. After all, the accumulation of moisture will destroy all reserves. The bags should be made of a dense material so that insects cannot get into it.

In no case should you store drying in plastic bags or in plastic containers, because they do not allow oxygen to pass through, and drying will simply grow moldy.

Food moth cannot gnaw through: glass, metal, rubber, foil and wood. Polyethylene, paper, fabric, cardboard and even plastic covers chews through with a bang! Therefore, all edible products must be stored in sturdy, tightly sealed containers. Better, of course, in glass. Now such jars are sold with a seal on the lid (in stores "all 5" cost a penny). In them, you will immediately see the larvae if they get there in the products, and the larvae, in turn, will not be able to crawl throughout the kitchen.

Apples are unique fruits. They contain many trace elements and vitamins necessary for normal human life. This means that instead of cooking jam, significantly reducing the level of nutrients in these fruits, it is better to prepare drying.So they will last for a long time and preserve useful elements in themselves.

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It is important to understand that the product may deteriorate near heat sources. If dried fruits are packed correctly, then the right amount of oxygen will constantly flow to them, and they will not start to deteriorate and mold.

Where in the apartment to put a container with dried fruits? Here are some options:

• the dryer can be placed on one of the shelves of the cabinet;
• in the kitchen in a closet or on a shelf not high from the floor;
• on the balcony, but provided that there is a low level of humidity.

Obviously, even in a small apartment there is a place to store such a product. Let's look at how to properly store dried apples, which containers to use for this, and how to deal with pests.

But how do you store them in a bank? To dry well in your chosen container, line the bottom with wrapping paper. This will help absorb any moisture that the dried fruit may give off.

How to store dry apples at home in a different container? Any baskets, boxes or boxes are also suitable for this. The most important thing is that they are made of a material that allows air to pass through well. For example, when folding an apple cider into a cardboard box, line it with paper, and then add the food a little at a time. It is best to transfer each layer with paper.

To prevent any bugs from getting in the dried fruit and your favorite product does not become unusable, it is necessary to regularly inspect the drying containers. It is best done weekly. If you find this problem at a very early stage, the fruit preparation can be saved. Let's talk about how this can be done.

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When harvesting apples for the winter by drying, consider in advance how much fruit you can provide a suitable storage location. Better to stock up on less, but keep all stocks in good condition. The same is true for purchased dried fruits. Do not buy more than you can consume before their expiration date.

1. In order for a dried apple to retain its beneficial properties throughout the winter, it must be properly prepared. Select fruits with firm, white flesh. The best fruit varieties are Grushovka, Titovka and Antonovka. Wash the sorted fruits, cut into slices or halves.
2. It is advisable to store dried fruits in a cool place. In the conditions of a city apartment, a balcony is suitable for this purpose. In rural areas, drying is well maintained in the basement. If it is not possible to store dried fruits in a cool place, put them in a linen bag and place them on the topmost kitchen shelf, as far as possible from the rest of the food.
3. Another place to store apple drying is the windowsill. To do this, the product should be folded into a glass jar and sealed tightly. You can also use a regular wardrobe. You just need to empty one of the boxes and put the dried fruit into it.

Dry the fruit immediately after slicing. This will help preserve their taste.

Pest control methods

To save supplies, you need to know how to get rid of fruit moths in your home. Fighting insects is not easy, because you cannot use the most effective means - chemical insecticides. They are toxic, therefore, the processing of foodstuffs with pesticides is strictly prohibited: this can cause severe poisoning in humans.

Therefore, it remains to use harmless means. Traps and duct tape designed to kill flying insects can help reduce the number of adult fruit moths in your home and prevent them from laying eggs.They should be placed close to where the dried fruit is stored, such as a closet or pantry.

First steps

As soon as the larvae were noticed in the products, measures must be taken immediately so that the rest of the food reserves are not affected:

1. Everything that turned out to be infected with pests must be thrown away without regret, because such dried fruits are unsuitable and even dangerous for consumption.
2. It is necessary to process the jars in which the food was stored with a solution of vinegar.
3. Also, the shelves and walls of the cabinet with the affected dried fruits are treated with vinegar essence. If there are eggs or larvae left there (they can be in crevices and hard-to-reach places), then they will infect new products that will be put in the cabinet.

Thorough processing with vinegar essence should be carried out with gloves so as not to get a chemical burn to the skin of the hands. It is better to leave the vinegar on the surfaces for up to half an hour to guarantee the complete destruction of the pest residues. The substance has an unpleasant odor, so you need to leave the cabinet to ventilate with an open window until the excess odors disappear.

Folk remedies

Throughout the history of man's struggle with a pest have been worked out. They are simple, easy to use and, most importantly, safe for health. After all, these are natural products, the smell of which is unacceptable to most insects.

Effective against fruit moth:

1. Lavender. The herb has a strong aroma, which is not tolerated by all moths, including the fruit moth. Therefore, cloth bags with dried lavender have long been placed in closets to protect clothes and food from this insect. Alternatively, you can use dried mint and lemon balm, which also have a rich aroma.
2. Bay leaf. A few leaves in the closet will scare away the pest. But laurel is less effective than lavender.
3. Citrus zest. It is saturated with essential oils, which are also strong-smelling. The aromatic substances evaporate quickly, so the crusts must be constantly replaced with new ones.

All types of pelargonium (geranium) contain a large amount of essential oils, which creates unfavorable conditions for the insect.

Prophylaxis

To reduce the risk of fruit moths appearing in your home, it is recommended that you do the following:

1. Store food in tightly closed jars so that a butterfly cannot climb into it.
2. Check the condition of supplies regularly.
3. About once a month in the warm season, wipe the inside of the cabinet with a solution of vinegar essence.
4. Physically destroy a mole that has flown into the house.

If you do not follow these simple rules, you can skip the moment of infection. The pest will be detected only after it spoils an impressive amount of dried fruit.

Fruit moth is a pest of human food supplies, giving preference to dried fruits. It infects them and turns them into dust. But folk remedies, together with preventive measures, can prevent the activity of moths and save food from an insect.

There are several types of food moth, the most common is cocoa moth

who loves to wander in "her" places only at night. It looks like a small butterfly no more than 1 cm in size.
Her color is inconspicuous
, from brown to gray with small dots.

The insect lives for several weeks

but in these days it produces large offspring. Reproduction occurs only when there is free access to water.
Kitchen moth does not eat food
because it does not have a developed digestive system.
The larvae eat the food
.

Development goes through three stages, this is the laying of eggs, intensive development, birth.

What does food moth look like, photo below:

Description of the appearance of the pest

The very name of the fruit moth is collective. Delicacies such as nuts or dried fruits are not averse to both grain and barn varieties.When desired or necessary, they quickly switch their food priorities. However, in their many ranks there is also a dried fruit moth, which is called simply and shorter - fruit moth. Species closely related to her, slightly differing in description and way of life: fig and raisin moths.

If a tropical guest has started up in the apartment, then it is quite easy to identify her. The fruit moth is characterized by a large adult size - 15-22 mm with a full wingspan. In this case, the front pair has a grayish-buffy color, with whitish spots and light "bands" in the form of transverse stripes. The back pair is light gray, heavily pubescent with a darker fringe.

Eggs are white, wrinkled, up to 0.5 mm in diameter, oval in shape. The larvae are large - 12-14 mm, resembling worms. Pupae of no smaller size, grayish with a longitudinal suture.

Food moth: who is it and how is it different from the usual

A food moth looks like a small moth up to 10 mm in size. Its color is inconspicuous, usually gray with splashes or brown with stripes. The pollen on the wings has a pearlescent sheen, but you can only see it on your palms after you swat the insect.

This is what a food moth looks like

The mole moves through the air, and the trajectory of its flight is so chaotic that it is very difficult to catch it. Surely you have come across this: a long running around the kitchen and other rooms, and thunderous "applause" to this flying misfortune. Yes, it is almost impossible to destroy a mole with your hands - it is too fast and resourceful. The time of activity of the moth is the night, when the insect can move freely and unhindered around the room. As soon as you notice her, she tries to fly away or hide in an inaccessible place.

The food moth does not live long, from several days to 3 weeks. But in this short period, the adult will bear so many offspring that the products in your kitchen will be in serious danger.

And this is a clothing moth. Don't mix it up!

In your house, not only food, but also clothing (carpet) moths can start. You need to be able to distinguish them from each other in order to understand in advance exactly where to look for the source of parasites. Clothing moth is lighter than food moth, it has a milky gray color. In addition, food is smaller in size.

If you find moths in the kitchen, check these foods right away:

• pasta;
• rice;
• buckwheat;
• nuts;
• peas;
• tea;
• sugar;
• semolina;
• oatmeal;
• coffee;
• cocoa;
• beans;
• cookies;
• pet food;
• dried fruits.

It is here that the moth settles in the first place, and from here it gets into ready-made dishes. The biggest harm is caused not by the adult, but by the larvae. During the growth period, they eat dry foods, leaving cobwebs, feces, skins that appear after rebirth, and their dead "brothers". All these consequences of life activity not only look unpleasant, but also poison the food to a certain extent.

Lifestyle and reproduction

It will not be difficult to get into the apartment for the fruit moth: you can hardly notice its laying in a package with the coveted dried fruits. In nature, it lives in the tropics, so it will definitely not fly through a window or ventilation. But in large storage facilities, where the assortment is represented by nuts, apples, dried fruits, this is a frequent visitor.

True, given the huge number of related species, some other species can easily settle in a bag with dried apples or nuts, flying through a window or escaping from neighbors through the ventilation system.

Fruit moths are nocturnal, prefer high humidity - at least 60%, and for unhindered reproduction they need a temperature of 28-30 ° C, then at least 3 insect populations are hatched per year.

One fruit moth butterfly is capable of laying up to 350 eggs, from which white larvae hatch.Quite often they can be found in dried apricots or figs, but apples dried at home are also susceptible to this misfortune.

How to get rid of moths in foods?

First, you need to get rid of the croup, which has already been visited by the moth.

After a thorough audit, you can deal with food moths with proven folk remedies:

The smell of lavender and citrus fruits cannot be tolerated by moths. Spreading orange and lemon peels in the corners of cabinets, as well as lavender oil applied to cotton swabs or a small bouquet of these flowers wrapped in gauze, will help get rid of food moths.

Treating lockers with vinegar is also effective. First, you need to thoroughly rinse all hard-to-reach places, cracks with soapy water, ventilate the room, and then wipe the entire surface of the cabinet where bulk materials are stored with vinegar.

Garlic will come to the rescue in the fight against moths. If you put cloves of garlic in containers where cereals are stored, then its smell will scare away uninvited guests. Garlic does not affect the smell of cereals and their taste.

Bay leaves are also not to the liking of food moths. It is necessary to arrange bay leaves around the perimeter of the shelves with cereals, as well as in jars where products that attract moths are stored.

Moths are scared away by the smells of cloves, geraniums, wild rosemary, tansy, fir, rosemary, and basil. You should apply aromatic oils with these smells to cotton pads and spread out in places where moths can start.

The moth does not like the smell of wormwood. Small bushes of wormwood, spread out in places where food adored by moths are stored, will scare it off.

Walnut leaves, which have a specific smell, help well in the fight against moths. It is enough to spread a few fresh walnut leaves in the corners of the cabinet so that the moth will forget the path to the products stored there for a long time.

A proven remedy is natural camphor and camphor essential oil. The camphor smell will prevent moths from settling in food cabinets.

The tobacco smell is unpleasant for moths. Tobacco spread on shelves is a good remedy for food moths.

Pungent odors scare away moths. You can, after thorough cleaning and disposal of contaminated products, sprinkle perfume in the cabinet. Thus, the odor that is unpleasant for the moth will not spoil the food.

• After buying cereals in the store, be sure to ignite it in the oven,
  and then pour into glass containers, cans or plastic containers with a tight lid;
• Keep the kitchen clean:
  wipe the shelves with a bite, ventilate, apply plant oils, with a smell that is unpleasant for moths;
• Periodically review stocks
  and long-stored cereals, if necessary, fry in the oven for 15 minutes at a temperature of 60 degrees;
• It is worth disassembling the littered corners of the house
  : long-lying things, grandmother's dowry (scarves, feather beds, blouses, pillows, rolled carpets). After all, a moth can live not only in cereals, but also in things. And, if you do not completely liquidate her lair, then after a while she will visit the kitchen again.

If the dried fruit contains larvae, similar to small worms, and the product itself crumbles before our eyes, then this means that fruit moths have been tried. You can't hesitate: it is necessary to physically eliminate the pest as soon as possible, process the storage area and take measures to reduce the risk of re-infection by an uninvited guest.

Insect features

The fruit moth lives for 4 weeks. During this time, the eggs develop for 72 hours, the moth flutters for 2 weeks, and the rest of the time is spent on parasitizing the larvae, which bring great harm to humans. Moth eggs are small and very difficult to see with the naked eye.... During her life cycle, the female can lay up to 100 eggs.

Moth worms look like white caterpillars with a dark "muzzle". The body of the pest is translucent and the food inside is visible through it. The larval phase of the moth ends with the formation of a cocoon, pupation. After 2-3 days, a moth is born.Males and females do not visually differ from each other.

Insect and its habits

This type of moth is no different from other representatives of similar pests.

It is gray in color and measures 9mm in length and 19mm in wingspan.

Since insects are nocturnal, you can notice their fluttering only in the evening by lamps and near other light sources.

You will notice a flying moth only at night, but the larvae can be easily found in cereals and dried fruits.

An adult lives from 3 days to 2 weeks and does not eat anything, the main problem is the larvae. The moth lays its offspring in dried fruits (not fresh fruits), flour products, cereals and even tea. The insatiable larvae quickly turn food into dust, leaving their feces in them. Appearing in the same package with food, bloodworms can quickly cover the entire contents of the cabinet.

However, the initial period passes instantly. Subsequently, white worms can be seen in a bag or in a jar with the naked eye.

The mole enters the house in the following ways:

• with already affected fruits that were brought into the room;
• through the ventilation system;
• can simply fly into an open window. For more details, see this video:

How to store food: folk methods

Since few people want to poison their family with chemicals, fighting annoying insects, folk remedies often become an alternative option. There are many methods of dealing with fruit moths in the bins of the Russian people. It is permissible to resort to both several and one most productive one.

To avoid the multiplication of moths, spoilage of products by it, the following measures should be taken.

All the information presented above will allow you to fully add up the idea regarding the fruit moth. This is an extremely unpleasant insect that can be easily got rid of if you follow a series of simple procedures that were presented above.