Carpet Moth Control

The Carpet moth is a common name for the Case-bearing clothes moth (Tinea pellionella); this is a common species often found within UK properties. Unlike other clothes moth species the larvae are easily identifiable by the larvae cases that are often found within the area of infestation; for this reason they are easily identifiable compared to common clothes moth and other similar variations.

As their name suggests, they are commonly found within and around carpets but can also be found around clothing, furs and other natural materials. Carpet moths can often be found in dark areas away from human habitation, any treatments should be carried out throughout the property and should be concentrated on wall/floor corners and under furniture; annoyingly carpet moth often have ecosystems under the carpet and without direct treatment can result in a continuation of the issue.

Case-bearing clothes moth can be a tricky moth to control, and we recommend that the user understands the biology and behaviour before undertaking control; Wikipedia has a page with information on their lifecycle. this can be found here. For detailed treatment advice, we recommend looking at the BPCA website (The leading pest control association in the UK) on the subject which can be found here.

Treatment is usually through direct contact spray of the infected area; this can be with an insecticide or a non-toxic spray. Placement of powder under furniture, carpets and within cracks and crevices is a useful long-term treatment option; this is especially useful for stopping emerging infestations that can often go undetected for several years. Pheromone pads are a method of monitoring activity before and after treatment.

Important information on pheromones: No specific pheromone is produced for the Case-bearing clothes moth however the chemical signal is very similar to the Common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) for which the pads are designed for. Testing and customer feedback have shown that CCM pads are useful for the control of Case-bearing clothes moth, BUT they are unlikely to show the same high capture rate and they shouldn’t be used as the sole method of control.

Please find below our most common and popular products associated with carpet moth control: