Bogong Moths
There have been a number of large moths in the Sydney region over spring which are Bogong moths (Agrostis infusa) that are migrating south to the Snowy Mountains for the summer. Bogong moths will come inside the house during the day to shelter but are happy to get outside again whenever they can. Bogong moths do NOT eat clothes, they do not eat household food and do not lay eggs in your house. They are harmless, they do not bite or sting. They vary in colour from light brown to almost black and have a wingspan of about 5cm (2″) with marks on each fore wing and feed on flowers and nectar.
PLEASE don’t spray them as they are an essential part of the food chain for many Australian species especially in the Snowy Mountains.
What to do: If Bogongs have come inside your home gently guide them out with your hands or a soft broom. Turning an external light on with the internal houselights switched off will help lure them outside.
To avoid them coming back: NOTE: at night they’re attracted to light but during the day they seek shelter in dark spaces so, at night close your windows and doors when the lights are on inside your home and also keep windows & doors closed in the morning when they will try to get into the dark spots inside your home. The bogongs will only be around for a few days or a week as they migrate.
Clothes moths
The smaller clothes moths come from the Tineidae family which has 1385 different species. There are about three or four different clothes moths that cause a lot of damage to clothes and another five or six species that are less damaging. In general they would be smaller in total area than a five cent coin with wingspans rarely more than 2.5cm (1″). Their wings are often long and narrow with a silvery sheen and a hair fringe. They come into the house on the fabric of clothes or by flying in at night but are reluctant to fly in open light places and prefer dark corners of the house, like a wardrobe. Clothes moths eat clothes, tapestry, carpets and any wool product that hasn’t been given some anti-moth treatment, even hair. These moths are not seasonal and live in your clothes all year round.
What to do:
The best method of stopping moths in clothes and reducing the likelihood of infestation is to wash everything thoroughly before you put it away. An annual spring clean is also helpful because it opens things up and gets the moths moving. Naphthalene and moth balls are a useful repellant to keep clothes moths out of your clothes but they don’t kill moths once you have an infestation.