The Indian Meal moth has reappeared in my home, and in dusturbin
numbers. Here in Canada, the moth is not such a common pest. It's
not native and cannot survive outdoors here.
Probably arrived in my home with some contaminated bulk goods from the
local store, about 4 years ago.
I was killing the odd moth for about a year before an identification
was made. At that time I posted a helpme here, and a kind gentleman
gave me some pointers.
I proceeded to discard all contaminated products from the pantry, the
cupboards. Some of the undamaged goods I placed in the freezer and
the fridge.
A thorough vacuuming of the cracks and then a thorough scrubbing,
followed by a pyrethin spray into the cracks.
Repace goods with new and in tightfitting lid containers. Now I have
to add, that if the lid is not air tight, they will get in. The
mommy moth has habit of laying the eggs at the jar lid rim or at the
rim base, where often some food dust is present. The eggs hatch and
are tiny enough to squeeze through the tinyest of gap. Once in the
jar, they grow, pupate , the moths can't get out, but they mate, lay
more eggs , until the jarred goods are damaged beyond use, with the
maggot droppings and the unsightly webs that they leave, as well as
the pupate skins.
Now these are not poisonous, and can be eaten, but not palatable, but
probably would notice if in a soup. (get the moth bodies out though).
I am a frugal person and hate to waste.
For a year after I had no evidence of moths, until 2 months ago I
caught just a glimpse of a moth, at night, in front of the TV. These
moths fly zigzag and make sudden drops, so hard to follow in dim lght.
I checked the phermone trap, and low and behold , it was loaded with
bodies. I ran to the other room in dread, and checked the other one,
It also was loaded. Just 2 weeks before there were none.
My cupboard is still spick and span clean, with tight lid jars. Other
good still in freezer. I have no idea where they are comming from.
I have detailed vacuumed my old carpets, (as I said, frugal is
devine), recleaned the cupboards, pulled out fridge and stove and
cleaned and sprayed with pyrethin. Sprayed all the carpet with Riad
Flea killer risidual.
I went out to the locate $1 store and purchased the bug taser killer
bat. (very good price).
That very evening I hunted the moths until 2:00am, and they were still
appearing, but I couldn't see straight from fatique, and accidently
tasered my finger, wow the almost woke me up. The tally was 34 moths
that evening.
Since then, for the last 5 weeks or so, I've been hunting and bagging
average of 15 a day. Guess I'm hoping they'll run out of food. I may
miss them then, as It's kind of fun zapping them, but don't like the
smell of the zapping from the electrically burning moth carc*****.
If anyone has any idea how to get rid of these without burning my
house down, please let me know.
Gloria.
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