Moths in the car: detect & fight

In addition to clothing, clothes moths also infect other textiles and can even find a home in car seats. Here you will find out how to recognize such an infestation and how to successfully fight moths in the car.

Have you ever had small, shiny moths in your car that just couldn't be chased away? Or maybe small holes in your seat covers and damage to the upholstery? This could be clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) Act. Because in addition to fur coats, wool sweaters and other items of clothing, clothes moths also nestle in other textiles. This includes, for example, carpets, furniture, or the upholstery of car seats. In the following, you will find out why the small butterflies particularly like to appear in older cars, how you can recognize an infestation and get rid of the pests.

Detecting moths in the car

Not every butterfly that gets lost in your car poses an immediate hazard. Clothes moths are a very special group of butterflies that you can easily recognize based on just a few characteristics. The pests are between 0.5 and 1 cm in size and have single-colored, shiny, yellowish, gray or brown wings. When the insects sit on a surface, the wings are always folded over their back to form a kind of small roof.
Fur moths can also nestle in the upholstery of your car. You can recognize them by the fact that their wings are usually a little darker in color and have three diffuse points.

The moths lay their eggs in the cushions of the car seats, on which the caterpillars later feed. The eggs and caterpillars themselves are inconspicuously small and whitish. Since they live in the upholstery, it is very unlikely that they will actually be discovered. The larvae of the fur moths are characterized by a special feature: They spin a protective cocoon her body, from which only her head and front legs protrude and which she always carries with her carry around. However, an infestation can still be recognized better by the adult animals or by small holes and traces of eating on the upholstery.

Moth traps like ours provide help in recognizing adults Plantura clothes moth traps. They are provided with a sexual attractant that only attracts the male moths of clothes and fur moths. These follow the pheromone trail and fall into the sticky trap to which they stick. Pheromone traps help with early detection of infestation and identification of the moths. The traps only have to be installed in the car and are activated as soon as the protective film over the glue layer with the pheromones is peeled off. There are two things to keep in mind when using it:

1. The traps should be replaced every three months as they lose their effectiveness over time.
2. Pheromone traps alone are not suitable for combating clothes moths, as they do not catch every male and do not affect females, eggs and larvae. So there can still be some mating, which keeps the moth population alive.

Why do clothes moths appear in older cars?

Clothes moths tend to infest older cars and vintage cars in particular. This is due to the fact that vintage cars are usually driven less often and the moths can therefore spread there in peace. More important, however, is the fact that older automobiles often used animal fibers such as fur or silk for the furnishings. Sometimes the upholstery is even filled with real animal hair. Although clothes moths sometimes eat synthetic fibers that they cannot digest, animal fibers are their actual target and a welcome breeding ground.

Fight moths in the car

To get rid of the small pests, many car owners use moth sprays. However, these chemical toxins are not only harmful to the moths themselves, but also to humans and the environment. Fighting moths in cars is more sustainable and harmless, for example with heat. However, since temperatures of at least 70 ° C must be reached for a successful treatment, this method is rather difficult for use in the car. It is only carried out in special facilities by experienced pest controllers.

Another sustainable and natural control method that you can use in your vehicle, on the other hand, is the application of parasitic wasps. Parasitic wasps are tiny, sting-free and harmless insects that are the natural antagonists of many borer moths. Therefore, they have been used as an effective measure against the pests for quite some time. The parasitic wasps of the genus are mainly used for this purpose Trichogramma.

Also for ours Plantura parasitic wasps against clothes moths we use TrichogrammaParasitic wasps. The small beneficial insects are conveniently delivered to your home on practical cards and using them is very easy. Simply put the cards in your car unopened and lock all windows and doors. Since one card is sufficient for approximately 1 m², we recommend using three to four cards per car.

Shortly afterwards, the parasitic wasps get to work: They specifically track down moth eggs and parasitize them, causing the eggs to die. The parasitic wasps themselves also die after their work and, due to their small size, leave little more than a little dust. In order to ensure successful control of all moths and possible subsequent generations, this process should be carried out six times - every two weeks. So that you always have fresh parasitic wasps to hand at the right time, new cards will be sent to you every 14 days. Shipping and card replenishment are of course included in the price.

Please note when using in the car:

• Ichneumon wasps need at least 15 ° C to work actively and effectively for you, which is why control in winter is only possible in heated garages.
• Whenever you have applied fresh cards in the car, you should, if possible, leave it alone for a week and not drive it. In this way the parasitic wasps can do their work undisturbed.

Tip: After use, it is advisable to vacuum the car thoroughly once to remove all remains - even if they are barely visible to the naked eye.

Summary fighting moths in the car:

• Chemical control with moth sprays (beware of toxic ingredients!)
• Heat treatment in a suitable facility
• Simple, effective and biological elimination by Trichogramma parasitic wasps

Once you have defeated the small butterflies, you naturally want to avoid a renewed infestation. You can prevent the pests by vacuuming the upholstery regularly and ventilating cars that spend a lot of time in the garage. In order to recognize an infestation with the shiny clothes moths early enough next time, it is also worthwhile to use sticky pheromone traps like ours if the vehicle is parked for a longer period of time Plantura clothes moth traps hang up.

Clothes moths can also cause great damage in the house or apartment. You can find out how to recognize an infestation there, prevent it and successfully combat the small pests in our special article on the subject Clothes moths.