·Moths like moisture. Use a dehumidifier or containers of Damp Rid, sold in pharmacies and bed/bath stores, to keep humidity at about 50-60.

·Moths lay their eggs in wool or silk cloth, but they especially like to lay their eggs on the floor in wool carpets/rugs under furniture, in corners, and in balls of dust, pet fur, and human hair.

·The moth looks for a place away from light, with some humidity, and a food source.

·Eggs laid in clean wool will hatch and the larva will start to eat but will die from malnutrition without protein from urine, sweat, fur, feathers, hair, or food stains. That's why we are advised to wash or dry clean clothing before storing. If you think an item has eggs or larva in it, 30 minutes of heat in a hot dryer, or placing the item in a heavy black plastic bag in the sun for a few hours (good for rugs) will probably kill them. (Take items out of plastic after sun treatment to avoid mildew from condensation in the bag.) Some sources say freezing works, but others say it's not a sure thing, as timing and temperature are important.

·Eggs hatch in several days and larvae start to eat immediately. As they munch, they create tiny balls of fecal matter, which are often the color of the item they're eating. When they've had enough, they crawl away from the feeding area to pupate.

·The pupae are shaped somewhat like a little piece of dried lavender. If you find one and it's flat, it died or the moth has already emerged. If it's plump, and you see a black dot at one end, it's alive. Squish it. You will often find them in tight, undisturbed areas, in cracks, such as where wall meets floor and in the edges of drawers, but I also found a few hanging from the ceiling above a darkened staircase and on the backs of furniture that was against the wall.

·Moths flying about are the males. The females cannot fly well; they stay in one place on the wall in the evening, waiting for a mate, and are easy to kill. (During the day they hide in dark places.) The males are harder to kill as they fly in an evasive, erratic pattern.

·Pheromone traps, such as those made by Saferbrand are sold in some stores or online, can trap some of the males, won't attract females, and are NOT a substitute for taking other steps to keep moths out of your home, but if you see moths in the traps, you'll know you have to search around to find where they are breeding. (My infestation started in a forgotten rolled up rug.)The best prevention is regular, thorough vacuuming, storing only clean clothes, checking rolled up rugs regularly, and keeping humidity down.

·Use only one trap per room or closet, as the pheromones are very strong and multiple traps just confuse the moths.

·Moth balls are stinky and hazardous to your health. They only kill moth larva when they are placed in a sealed container with clothing. Putting mothballs loose in drawers or in an open container in a closet does nothing but stink up your clothing and expose you to toxic fumes. Avoid them.

Good Luck!!
Jennifer Gordon

And now for the fix!

For surface moth damage, take a pin and scratch the surface of the wool, pulling out the nap from the remaining yards to create a new surface. Or, clip a few fibers from another place, spray the moth damage with some hairspray and stick the fibers onto the damaged area.