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How and how to get rid of moths in an apartment at home and prevent its reappearance. How to permanently get rid of moths

If a mole started up in an apartment, how to get it out becomes topical issue for housewives. You can choose from various stores and folk remedies that will save you from this scourge, but it is best to take those that have the maximum effect and quick action.

The moth is an insect that can damage food, various materials, clothing, woolen and fur products, furniture and more.

Many people do not understand why the moth wound up in the house. Everything is very simple. It can fly in through the window, get in with clothes, household items, food. Also, a person can bring them on his clothes in folds and pockets.

Folk remedies

Lavender and mothballs have been known as insect repellants since ancient times.

"Grandma's" methods do not destroy the pest, but they will scare him away. Their advantage is that all components are available and inexpensive. So anyone can buy them.

When the question arises of how to destroy the moth, fumigators will help. They are used less frequently than sprays, but they have a clear advantage: their action is prolonged, due to which all adults and larvae will be destroyed within a few days. Usually enough from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Fumigators have an advantage, as they act for a long time

The principle of operation is very simple. A special plate with an aromatic substance and an insecticide is inserted into the device. Then the device is plugged into the outlet, and the plate begins to heat up. All compounds evaporate from its surface.

The concentration of the insecticide is low, so it will not harm a person, which cannot be said about butterflies.

Instead of plates, you can use containers with liquid. Such a fight against a winged pest in an apartment also has disadvantages. For example, you will have to keep the device constantly plugged into the outlet. But in general, this option is very effective. The most popular devices:

1. DiK-3. It is filled with plates or liquid solution. It functions from standard parameters network and consumes no more than 5 watts. Initially, this device was developed against mosquitoes, but has shown its effectiveness in relation to other insects in the house, including moths. Despite the fact that such a fumigator can be used if a food pest has started, it is still better not to install such a device in the kitchen, as vapors of insecticidal substances will accumulate in the room.
2. Mosquitall. This device is almost a complete analogue of the previous version. The device works on an area up to 30 m².
3. raid. It looks like DiK-3. It functions in the same way, but its cost is higher. A set of a fumigator and 10 plates for it costs from 120 rubles.

Sections

Sections occupy a separate place. Their advantage is that they contain only essential oils, that is, they work on natural ingredients that are completely harmless to humans.

Sprays will help you get to hard-to-reach places

Most popular sections:

1. Raptor. Such a device can be purchased at any hardware store. Has various flavors. For every 0.5 m², a pair of sections must be hung. Install directly in the cabinet. Will be valid for approximately 4 months.
2. Mosquitall. Such sections are produced in several forms. For example, they can be fixed in blocks directly on the wall, hung in the form of bags containing dry perfume, or purchased in the form of plates that are placed between hangers with things. The cost varies from 60 to 150 rubles.

Aerosols

To get rid of a winged pest that spoils food, things and furniture in the house, you can use aerosols.

The sprays contain a concentrated solution of insecticides. They leave the cylinder under high pressure. When a person sprays an aerosol, it gets into Airways individuals that provoke poisoning. And this also applies to adult flying butterflies and caterpillars.

Sprays also work on moth larvae

Aerosols have a contact action, so that they penetrate even under the chitinous layers of insects. But for humans, sprays are considered almost completely harmless. But you need to make sure that a large amount of the substance does not enter the respiratory organs, as this can provoke various side effects, including an acute form of an allergic reaction.

In this case, a person will have dizziness, headaches, vomiting, nausea. But if you follow all the safety rules, then this will not happen.

In general, using aerosols is very simple, but there is a drawback. Not all sprays will last long.

To process all surfaces, you will have to allocate time.

Compared to other means, aerosols are considered the most convenient and effective.

Forget about naphthalene, it will not be possible to remove moths with it. To effectively deal with insect pests, you must first determine their habitat.

How to get rid of moths in the apartment?

Moth is different: grain, furniture, woolen, carpet (the latter is also called a kozheed, because it is not averse to eating leather goods), even rye and cabbage - only about 30 species.

In addition, moths are not only butterflies, but also caterpillars and eggs. It turns out that chasing moths flying around the house is useless, because by killing them, we just disable the males, which are harmless to things. Meanwhile, the females lay all new silver-white eggs in the closet, from which voracious caterpillars soon appear. We will get rid of them.

How to get rid of food moth?

Grain (food) moth encroaches on our food supplies: cereals, flour and dried fruits most often suffer from its larvae. This moth loves warmth high humidity and lack of ventilation.

• Prevention: all groceries should be stored in tightly closed jars or, in extreme cases, tied plastic bags.
• How to get rid of: foods heavily affected by moths will have to be thrown away, and those in which there are few insects can be sorted out and dried in the oven, opening its door ajar, at a temperature of 60–70 ° C for 15–20 minutes. You can use a microwave for the same purpose. The cupboard where the food was stored and the moth lived should be washed from the inside with warm soapy water, and then clean water; smear grooves and cracks with table vinegar with a brush. Keep the closet open until dry.

How to get rid of moths in the closet?

Woolen (she is also felt, fur coat, felt) moth breeds all year round. And at the same time he eats wool, felt, feathers, natural velvet, fur, book bindings and much more, gnawing on the way to food. synthetic fabrics And plastic bags. Caterpillars calmly withstand temperatures down to 0 ° C and can go without food for 30 days. Considering that the mole lives for a long time - about two years - you can imagine how many things it will have time to spoil during this time.

• Prevention: larvae cannot stand bright sunlight And fresh air. That is why things that are often “in use” are not afraid of moths. And about winter clothes sent to the closet for the summer, you need to take care of in advance. Moth caterpillars begin their meal with dirty and sweaty spots, eating away the fabric clean along with the dirt. Therefore, the fight against moths must begin with washing and cleaning clothes before storing them. After cleaning, fur and woolen items are placed in plastic bags, and fur coats are placed in cases made of thick paper With anti-moth preparation. Shake things well before packing: moth eggs are not too firmly attached to the fibers of fabric or fur, so they will fly off.
• Get rid of: Affected things are treated with preparations based on dichlorvos. A more radical means of destroying moth caterpillars does not yet exist. In addition, dichlorvos is the only sure remedy against kozheed.

Antimoles

Moth control products are available in the form of plates, sections, sprays and classic tablets.

The cheapest option is pills And briquettes, which are an alloy of naphthalene and camphor. Tablets are traditionally placed at the top of cabinets. Heavy vapors of naphthalene and camphor sink down, preventing moth butterflies from laying eggs on clothes. Everyone would be good with these vintage remedies, but they are by no means safe for human health, especially in high concentrations.

advanced plates deprived of moths bad smell. According to the manufacturers, they destroy moths and larvae, repel carpet bugs and skin beetles. The combat readiness of the plates can be expected within 6 months.

Sections from the moth- the most civilized form of anti-mole drugs. They can be scented with lavender, mandarin and chamomile. Special sections are produced for the delicate protection of children's things. It is necessary to remove the protective tape and place the section on the top of the cabinet. The anti-molding action of one section extends to 0.5 cubic meters. m. It will be necessary to replace it with a new one in 4-6 months. However, the warnings on the packaging that in a room up to 15 square meters. m. You can use no more than two sections, and store the product separately from food products in places inaccessible to children, clearly speak of the toxicity of these repellents. Is it possible to replace them with something more natural?

Clothes moth or clothes moth

If moths appear in closets with clothes, a person has a question of how to get rid of moths in an apartment. This pest is often found in human dwellings, while cockroaches are quite rare in modern houses. At first glance, a harmless insect can cause great harm to clothing, regularly refreshing itself with coats, trousers, sweaters, skirts, scarves, hats and other wardrobe items. In order not to find out one day that the moth ate your favorite sweater or fur coat, you need to know what to do when these insects appear in the house. How to get rid of moths forever?

moth species

First of all, you need to determine what type of insect you are dealing with, because it depends on which remedy to choose to get rid of it. In total, there are about 14 species and about the same number of subspecies of moths, however ordinary person you do not need to know what the representatives of each of them look like. In most cases, the entire mole that a person encounters in everyday life can be divided into 2 large groups:

Modern methods of dealing with clothing moths

On modern market huge selection remedies to help get rid of moths at home:

Effective moth remedies in cabinets

Fighting moths at home is not an easy task. In order to facilitate it, we present a number of proven, effective and available funds to help get rid of moths in the closet forever:

Folk methods of dealing with moths

As practice shows, folk ways to deal with moths are the first to pop up in the memory of most people when they encounter such a household problem. The main weapon of all folk recipes is a sharp and unpleasant smell for insects. Their action is comparable to the action of moth sections, the difference is only in price. In folk recipes, it is much lower, which explains their popularity.

More recently, it was impossible to imagine a person who would not know the answer to the question of how to get rid of moths in the house. “Of course, with the help of naphthalene!” most people would have answered a few decades ago. There is even an idiom - "the smell of mothballs." He was at home for everyone, because this is what the mole is afraid of more than anything else. Recently, however, scientists have come to the conclusion that naphthalene has carcinogenic properties and is equally dangerous for both pests and humans. Therefore, in modern world naphthalene is practically not used if a mole is wound up. There are no less effective, but completely safe for humans, methods of dealing with moths:

How to remove kitchen moth

Getting rid of moths in the kitchen is much more difficult than surviving them from cabinets. The fact is that in the kitchen she usually settles in jars of cereals and flour, where poisonous insecticides cannot be used. In such cases, you can again turn to folk recipes and try to fight it with the help of the means that our grandmothers successfully used.

So, you can put a clove of garlic in a jar of flour, and put bags of pepper on the shelves with cereals. These products have a rather pungent odor that will discourage the insatiable moth from any desire to eat something.

Periodically inspect bags and jars of cereals for the presence of larvae and adults. It is better to throw out the containers in which they are firmly established, and those in which several individuals were seen can be tried to reanimate. To do this, the cereal must be sifted and held in the oven or microwave oven within 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 60-70 °C.

Thus, there are a huge number of ways to get rid of unpleasant residents in cabinets and in the kitchen. How to deal with moths in an apartment and which remedy to choose is up to you. All of them have shown themselves well and have helped to cope with the problem of many people.

The appearance of moths in the apartment always annoys the owners. These insects can cause irreparable damage to clothing and other property. They multiply quickly and the scale of the damage done is imperceptible. but is increasing rapidly. Therefore, the question of how to get rid of moths has not lost its relevance for several decades.

Types and causes of moths in the house

Moth is a small butterfly, a representative of the Lepidoptera order. Its larvae feed on keratin, which is found in the hairs of fur coats, wool, and in the pile of carpets. One caterpillar is capable of making a through hole in a product in a day and ruining it irrevocably appearance. Therefore, the mole must be starved.

The moth multiplies rapidly and spoils clothes, cereals and more.

The diet of larvae is not limited to clothes and carpets. As food for them, pillow feathers, bristles, products from genuine leather, including book bindings, dried fish or meat and even thermal insulation materials.

To get rid of these pests, you need to focus on the destruction of eggs and caterpillars. The butterflies themselves, which can be seen fluttering around the house, do not pose a direct threat. Their danger lies in the fact that they lay eggs, there can be about 100 of them at a time. Caterpillars are formed from eggs, which cause damage to things.

Finding the larvae is quite problematic, as the moth lays its eggs in dark places. After a while, the moth caterpillar turns into a chrysalis, then into a butterfly, which again lays eggs. Moths can breed throughout the year regardless of the season. The life span of one individual often reaches two years.

To date, there are approximately 40 varieties of these pests. The most common of them:

• Fur moth - it feeds on natural fur materials. It has a brilliant yellowish color, on the front wings there are small black dots. caterpillars white color, resemble a worm.
• Clothes moth lives in woolen drape or cloth. It has a white head fluff and purple-brown color of the wings.
• The furniture moth is distinguished by a light yellow color and brownish front wings. The caterpillar at the first stage of life feeds on furniture hair stuffing. Before pupating, it moves outside. Cocoons of this moth can be found on the undersides of sofas and chairs.
• Food kitchen moth is a silver-white insect. There is a brown pattern on the front wings. Females lay eggs mainly on grain crops: wheat, barley. But they can also use seeds stored in the house, dried fruits, as well as old wood for this purpose.

Moths can enter living quarters different ways. Often insects fly in from the street. You can also bring them into the house with things. Pests lay their eggs in the folds of clothing, so that the larvae go unnoticed. Pets can also be the cause of the appearance of insects. Sometimes caterpillars live in the fur of animals.

How to get rid of it quickly

Processing of the apartment and things

The method of dealing with moths depends on its habitat. The following method will help get rid of pests in the kitchen:

1. Start by inspecting the products. If they are severely infested with insects, they should be discarded. Eating such food can cause serious problems with health.
2. If pests have settled in the kitchen recently, the situation can be easily corrected. Sort through the products carefully. Then dry them in an oven preheated to 60–70°C for 20 minutes. Leave the door ajar. After that, place the products in tightly closed containers or plastic bags.
3. The next step is to process the shelves and cabinets. Wipe them first with soapy water, then with clean water.
4. Treat all cracks with vinegar. You can do this with a brush. Do not close cabinets until completely dry.

For total destruction food moth you need to thoroughly clean the whole house from its larvae

To destroy moths living in clothes and other things, shake off the affected things on the street or on an open balcony. Caterpillars usually cling loosely to clothing. Therefore, intensive shaking helps to get rid of them. Also, moth larvae do not tolerate sun rays and fresh air. Therefore, place your clothes for the whole day in a brightly lit and well-ventilated place. Then treat things with dichlorvos.

If possible, store furs and woolen items in paper or special non-woven bags.

Temperature effect

The moth is not able to maintain vital activity at sub-zero temperatures. Optimal indicator for her it is +23°C. In order for pests to die, damaged products should be left in the winter in the cold for 8–10 hours at a temperature of -20 ° C. Moths will not have a chance to survive.

The use of high temperature will be no less effective. Before putting clothes in the closet, iron them with a hot iron or steam them.

All clothing must be ironed thoroughly.

Special chemicals

To achieve the death of pests will help the treatment of premises and furniture with chemical means.

There are several types of preparations for the destruction of moths. These are plates, sections, briquettes, tablets and sprays. Each tool has a different principle of action. Let's consider their features in more detail:

1. Tablets and briquettes are made on the basis of camphor and paraffin. Their advantage lies in their low cost. Put the tablets for two weeks on the top shelf of the cabinet. The vapors that will come from them will scare away the moth. These funds are quite effective, but they also have a serious drawback: they are unsafe for human health.
2. More convenient to use plates. They do not have an unpleasant odor. The action of the plates is aimed at eradicating moth butterflies and caterpillars. These drugs retain their properties for six months. They are used in the same way as tablets.
3. Sections are recognized as the most safe means from the moth. They can be safely used even in children's things. The top sections are covered protective film. Before use, it must be removed and placed in the upper part of the cabinet. The product will fight moths for 4-6 months. Then it must be replaced. In small rooms, the footage of which does not exceed 15 square meters. m, you can not use more than two sections.
4. Sprays will also help to lime pests. To get rid of insects, two closet treatments with an interval of 2-3 weeks are enough. Sprays have a pleasant smell and do not spoil fabrics. These are drugs such as "Armol", "Clean House", "Raptor" and "Antimol" and many others.

Photo gallery: chemicals for killing insects at home

The simplest and therefore most popular moth remedy is a cabinet hanger.

Moth pills can be potentially dangerous to human health!

Under the Armol brand, a whole series of moth remedies is produced

The popular brand MOSQUITALL releases special sections from moths for the children's room

Aerosol MOSQUITALL is convenient to use at home and in the country

Spray Raptor is designed for processing cabinets and things

The Raptor tool will effectively protect the kitchen from food moths

Part chemicals against moths are toxic substances. Therefore, before poisoning the mole, take care of the security measures. It is important to remember the following:

1. Do not start work without a gown, gloves and a gauze bandage.
2. After finishing the procedure, wash your face and hands with soap.
3. Throw away protective clothing.

Folk remedies

Alternative methods of dealing with moths are considered safer. But they must also be used with caution. Before dealing with pests, be sure to test and make sure that you are not allergic to the component used.

The most famous folk method for eliminating moths for a long time was naphthalene. But he is unable to provide desired result. Naphthalene only repels butterflies; its effect does not apply to eggs and larvae. But this is not the only reason why you should stop using this tool. There is scientific evidence that indicates the likelihood of oncological diseases in humans and animals due to exposure to naphthalene.

In this regard, consider safer options:

1. Place a tissue sachet with odorous salt in the closet: 1 tablespoon of salt, 10 drops of fir or lavender essential oil.
2. Suitable also camphor, cedar wood, dry orange peels, cloves, pepper, fresh geranium leaves, pieces of laundry soap.
3. Vinegar can smoke moths out of the house. Put the pan on the fire, and when it is hot, pour a few tablespoons of acid and leave the room for a while so as not to breathe poisonous fumes.

Photo gallery: folk remedies for repelling moths

The use of vinegar requires caution

Camphor balls placed on cabinet shelves effectively repel insects
When putting away woolen or fur items for summer storage, sprinkle them with cloves and pack them in tight-fitting bags

It should be remembered that the effectiveness of all folk ways limited to scaring away butterflies, it will not work to destroy caterpillars and eggs in this way.

If the moth has thoroughly settled in your closet, it is better to use it immediately chemicals.

Prevention

Undoubtedly, it is always better to prevent the appearance of moths in the house than to fight it. Therefore, preventive measures should be observed, which involve the following actions:

1. Regularly clean and ventilate the apartment.
2. Clean upholstered furniture and carpets with a vacuum cleaner.
3. When cleaning, do not skip the gaps in the furniture where the larvae accumulate.
4. Wash cupboards and chests of drawers annually with soapy water.
5. Store only clean, ironed clothes.
6. Moth primarily affects contaminated things. Use polyethylene or thick paper bags for storage. These materials will not be able to completely protect things from the penetration of moths, but their use will significantly reduce the likelihood of its appearance.
7. This rule does not apply to fur products. They must not be placed in polyethylene material. It does not allow air to pass through, and the fur in such conditions will quickly become unusable. It is advisable to store a fur coat in a paper case, which can be purchased at a hardware store.
8. Small items can be placed in paper bags and secure with tape. Moth does not tolerate the smell of printing ink. So that she does not settle in fur shoes, stuff her with newspapers before storing.

Store cereals and flour in airtight jars

Video: how to poison a mole

The destruction of moths is a completely doable task. To achieve the desired result, you need to regularly monitor the state of things and, if necessary, start fighting the pest. A positive effect can also be achieved with the help of preventive measures, which will help prevent the penetration of moths into the apartment.

Moth is a keratophage insect (it feeds mainly on horny matter contained in woolen and fur products), but at the same time, the pest does not disdain organic matter.

Gets into the apartment in various ways:

• with poor-quality food products already infected with pest larvae (the moth especially loves cereals, dried fruits, flour and sugar);
• through ventilation holes from neighbors;
• together with clothes, in the folds of which there may be egg-laying;
• on the fur of domestic animals;
• with books from libraries.

No matter what cunning ways this nondescript butterfly entered your home, it is important what damage it can cause in the form of damaged carpets, fur coats, things made from expensive natural fabrics.

Most often, the following pests live in apartments:

• Fur coat (woolen).

  The color of this butterfly is gray-yellow with small black specks on the wings. Favorite place of settlement - wardrobes. To get to fur things, even polyethylene is able to gnaw through. In the absence of tasty clothes can feed on books, pillow feathers and felt.

• Furniture.

  The color of the wings is yellowish with a characteristic golden tint. Lives predominantly in upholstered furniture, eats upholstery fabric , but will never give up fur and wool.

.

The wings of this insect are colored in yellow tones With purple tint. Dwells in dark wardrobes, where eats all clothes indiscriminately, leaving ugly holes all over the surface.

• (grain, fruit).

  A small butterfly of the moth family. The wings are gray speckled or brown striped. It does not just destroy food (cereals, legumes, tea, flour, nuts, sugar), but also infects food with its excrement, particles skin, husk caterpillars. Food after being damaged by moths is unfit for consumption and can cause severe intoxication in humans.

Still exists. She lives in bee hives and does a lot of harm, but has many healing properties.

IMPORTANT! An adult moth is not capable of causing damage. She does not have a mouth apparatus, she is generally deprived of the opportunity to eat and digest food. Its main task is to lay eggs, from which voracious caterpillars hatch, sweeping away everything in their path.

What a mole looks like, photo below:

Methods of dealing with household (clothes, fur coat, furniture) moth

What to do if a moth started up in the apartment? First of all, stop chasing the poor butterfly trying to swat it. Usually flying in daytime in the open space male, and the female is already somewhere calmly laying eggs, from which hungry larvae will hatch very soon.

IMPORTANT! If the moth has already settled down in your living space, then before starting a war with an annoying guest, carefully clean the apartment, ventilate and wash all cabinets and bedside tables well (the pest prefers dark and damp corners).

Clean out upholstered furniture, sort and shake all things, books (they may contain larvae and laid eggs), pillows, rugs, blankets. Take the carpets out into the air and beat them well. Coats, fur coats and other outerwear take it to the dry cleaners.

How to get rid of moths in the apartment:

• Garlic. Delicate butterflies cannot stand the strong garlic smell. It is enough to lay out the slices in clothes and bookcases, bedside tables, in order to once and for all discourage the pest from settling in them.
• orange peels. Essential oil oranges are also not to the taste of moths. Having smelled the smell of citrus, the butterfly will never lay eggs near the source of the aroma.
• Tansy. This poisonous odorous plant has long been famous for its ability to repel moths. Insects will not even fly close to the place where bunches of this nondescript-looking grass will be laid out.
• Vinegar. The smell of vinegar is also unbearable for moths. To exclude the appearance of a pest in cabinets, it is advisable to wash the surfaces of the shelves with an vinegar solution (after that, ventilate), and also grab the floors to enhance the effect.
• Geranium (pelargonium). Few people know that it is beautiful ornamental plant not only pleases the eyes of everyone living in the house, but is also the enemy of moths.

  In an apartment where pelargonium blooms luxuriantly on the windowsills (it is advisable to breed it in every room), the moth is unlikely to want to live and breed. geranium leaves emit ethereal vapors, the smell of which is unpleasant to many harmful insects.

• Spices(cloves, allspice peas). The specific flavors of these spices are unacceptable to moths. To scare away the pest for a long time, it is necessary to spread bags filled with spices over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment.
• Lavender. Dry lavender herb has a delicate, persistent scent that is pleasant to humans, but repellent to insects. Bunches of grass, laid out in the corners of the room, will discourage the moth from choosing your apartment for settlement.
• Laundry soap. The alkaline smell of soap is not very pleasant, especially if it is present in cabinets, soaking things with it.

  But it is better to air the clothes later than to lose them forever. To drive the moth out of the apartment, pieces of soap are laid out in cabinets, pantries and closets.

• Naphthalene, empty perfume bottles, placed in wardrobes, will also help to expel moths and keep clothes safe and sound.
• Frost and sun. The moth tolerates very high and very low temperatures equally badly.
• Newspapers. Printing ink is also indigestible to moths. save your winter shoes on natural fur, newspapers will help, which you need to crumple and push inside each boot or boot.

How to get rid of food (grain, fruit) moths?

Food moth is called differently: barn, grain, fruit, potato. But the point is not in the name, but in the result of its activity.

The result is spoiled food that must be thrown away immediately..

Some economical housewives try to save cereals by heating them in the oven at a temperature of 60 degrees. But it is better not to waste time and endanger your household.

Application of chemistry in this case unacceptable, since we are talking not only about the destruction of the pest, but also about maintaining the health of all family members, so we will describe how to remove moths in the apartment in “grandmother's ways”:

1. contaminated products must be discarded, the surviving ones should be stored in jars with tight-fitting lids;
2. thoroughly wash all kitchen cabinets with soda solution;
3. limit moth access to water. An adult cannot eat, but can drink, this helps it reproduce successfully. Need to see everything water pipes and fix all problems;
4. clean all cracks with vinegar solution kitchen set, it is there that the pest lays eggs;
5. spread out in all corners of the kitchen, as well as in cabinets, leaves of laurel or walnut;
6. put inside each kitchen cabinet, as well as in jars with flour and cereals, chestnut fruits in shell (dried in advance), it is advisable to change chestnuts from time to time;
7. arrange jars with black allspice (peas) in lockers;
8. keep the sink clean, wipe it dry after each wash;
9. the vent in the kitchen and bathroom must be tightened with a fine mesh to prevent neighbor moths from visiting.

The appearance of moths can be avoided if housing is kept in order, as well as properly stored clothes and food. But if, nevertheless, the insect managed to get into the house - do not despair, use the tips in this article on how to get rid of moths at home.

These simple ones will help you in the destruction of uninvited guests and make them continue to bypass your home.

Useful video

Prevention measures and tips for dealing with moths in the apartment: