Arm yourself, moths are coming to attack your wardrobe

Legend has it they were first spotted in Britain on the day Charles I was executed in 1649. Ever since, they have been seen as harbingers of death and destruction, featuring in horror stories from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to The Silence of the Lambs. They look harmless but their attack is deadly. And now they’re invading our homes. Lock away your cashmere and hide those silk pashminas: the moth is back.

This spring, as temperatures rise and we pack away our winter woollies, wardrobes are under siege like never before from clothes-eating moths. The pest control company Cleankill has seen a 30 per cent rise in call-outs, while hardware stores are stocking up on insecticides ahead of expected demand.

Experts say the latest plague is down to the unseasonably warm weather, combined with a trend towards delicate materials and vintage fabrics in homes and wardrobes. “Moths thrive in warm, dark conditions,” explains Paul Bates, managing director of Cleankill. “As people get out their summer clothes, they’ll find that their natural fibre clothing has got holes in, because they’ve been left, untouched, in dark cupboards for the winter.”

Moths’ penchant for fine fabrics extends to woollen carpets, sofas, cushions and curtains. Anything made from natural textiles is at risk, says Dr Norman Lowe, moth expert at the Brecknock Wildlife Trust in Wales. “Textile moths feed mainly on wool fibres, because they like their food soft and fine. It’s your nice cashmere jacket they will eat – or your fluffiest carpet. Unfortunately for us, moths have very good taste.”

The common clothes moth, or Tineola bisselliella, has been blamed for munching its way into homes across Britain. But it’s the larvae, not the moths, that are responsible for the damage. Clothes moths have a life cycle of between 65 and 90 days, during which time they can lay around 50 eggs. The tiny white grubs live in silken tubes, leaving trails resembling cobwebs as they burrow into piles of fabric. By the time you see adult moths flying around, it may be too late to stop an infestation.

It seems no one is safe from the pests. Last May, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs earned the nickname of “Ministry for Moths” when its Westminster headquarters had to be fumigated because of an infestation. British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman declared war on the pests after they destroyed her Jean Paul Gaultier jumpers, while Baroness Betty Boothroyd has been spotted buying insecticide to kill off moths that devoured her ceremonial robes. And here at The Daily Telegraph headquarters in Victoria, we’re sharing our office with a swarm of the insects, intent on eating their way through coats, chairs and carpets.

So what steps should be taken to prevent an infestation? And, if it’s too late, how can we get rid of them?

A clean home is the place to start, explains Stuart Hine, an insect expert at the Natural History Museum. “Vacuum cleaners are moths’ worst enemies. They don’t like disturbance, so open up your cupboards once a month and shake everything out. Do the same with carpets – move furniture and clean under wardrobes and tables.”

Food stains and sweaty clothes are manna to moths, so don’t put anything away unless it’s thoroughly washed. Sealed plastic bags or boxes can also be used to keep delicate fabrics moth-free. Clothes should be dry cleaned before storage. And if the temperature drops again, don’t turn the central heating up – moths love it just as much as we do. Turn off radiators in empty rooms and open windows regularly to allow air to circulate.

If you find yourself facing a moth infestation, expert pest control is an option – but prices start at £150 a room. The DIY alternative can be just as effective, with solutions ranging from moth balls and lavender bags to ultra-violet light bulbs and insecticide sprays. Experts recommend finding the source of the larvae – be it a pile of old clothes, soft toys or cushions – and targeting this first by taking it outside and beating with a broom or brush.

The latest technology, developed by the pest management group Exosect and used in museum archives and theatre costume departments, is the pheromone strip, which lures male moths to a tray of statically charged powder containing female pheromones. The powder then sticks to the male bodies, trapping them and making them appear female to other moths – ending their breeding days for good.

Other solutions are less conventional. Giles Deacon, the fashion designer and a keen insect collector, recommends conkers as a natural deterrent. Their brown skins contain a compound called triterpenoid saponin that wards off the pests. Sheila Cook, a textile dealer in west London, swears by Mitex – a smoky candle – that she imports from Paris to purge her stock of the pests. And freezing clothes remains a firm favourite. “Put them in plastic bags and freeze for a week to get rid of any moths, eggs and larvae,” advises Hine.

Most people choose plain old moth balls, say the hardware store Robert Dyas, particularly those made from sandalwood and cedar. But perhaps the most helpful advice from the experts is not to panic: the moths flying around your bedroom might not be after your favourite jumper at all. “Of the 2,500 species of moths, there are just two or three that damage clothes,” explains Dr Lowe. “The decent-sized, colourful ones you see in your house and garden aren’t going to do any harm, as they feed on trees and leaves.”

And if you do find yourself invaded by the winged beasties, remember that you’re not alone.

“I can guarantee that even the Queen has insects in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace,” says Hine. “Moths eat dust, fur balls and hair that would otherwise build up in our homes. As long as they’re present at a healthy background level, they don’t do us – or Her Majesty – any harm.”