DIY remedy that ‘trap all the moths' in your home ‘works overnight’ and is ‘so easy’
A DIY enthusiast has discovered a cost-effective method for capturing all the moths in your home overnight.
Moths are notoriously hard to control as a pest, partly because they're hard to detect, and partly because they carry their babies on them to minimise human contact.
Scientists have long known that the real culprits behind household damage are not the adults themselves, but their larvae. The voracious eaters can chomp their way through a pantry and wardrobe before homeowners even notice an infestation.
Fortunately, blogger Merissa Alink, of Little House Living, has discovered a DIY trap to successfully eliminate miller moths, also known as "army cutworms" from her home.
She explained: “To trap all of the moths in your home, we [are] just going to make a simple light trap that will work overnight.
“You need to create dish soap that will form up, water and bowl (or plastic container with a wide opening), and a light.”
READ MORE: ‘Most effective deterrents’ to get rid of moths and ‘stop them from laying eggs’
Don't miss...
‘Most effective deterrents’ to get rid of moths and ‘stop them from laying eggs’ [INSIGHT]
Pest control expert share ‘best solution’ to get rid of moths in homes [INFORMER]
Banish pantry and clothes moths with just two ingredients [INSIGHT]
The DIY enthusiast explained that homemade dish soap will not work well for the trap, since it tends not to foam up as much.
In her instructions, she advises placing water into a bowl and adding dish soap, adding: “It would help to add the soap while filling it with water so the soap foams up. You only need a few inches of water.”
Next, all you need to do is place the bowl under a light source. She added: “We put the bowl on the stove and turned the stove light on above it. Turn off all other lights in the area.”
The following morning, the suds will no longer be present in the bowl, but moths will be there instead.
“No chemicals, mothballs, pesticides, repellents, or calls to the exterminator are used. It's so easy to set up, but it still works," notes Alink.
Although the hack works wonders for controlling moth numbers, the best defence remains preemptive actions. This involves strict hygiene, regularly cleaning and vacuuming, and promptly addressing any sign of moths.
According to the Natural History Museum, the two moths most commonly found in UK homes doing damage to natural fibres are the clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) and the case-bearing clothes moth (Tinea pellionella).
Because these types of moths are not attracted to light, homeowners are more likely to catch them with a field-testing trapping system, according to Insects Limited.