Q: How can I prevent a future moth infestation?
I just don’t want to go through this again. So my question is about some form of prevention?
Just like before, I won’t use poisons or pesticides, I insist on a natural / organic approach. But I am not sure what to try.
I had read about using sentinel traps but I don’t recognize the brand name. How are they different from the pheromone sticky moth traps I’ve been using.
Thanks for your help, I used www.moth-trap.info to figure out how to beat the meal moths in the first place.
Margaret C from Decatur
A: Use a sentinel moth trap strategy
Margaret,
Thanks for letting us know that we helped you win your battle. It’s our goal here to get accurate information for fighting a indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella infestation from larvae through adults.
Regarding prevention, we agree that there is no need to risk poisonous pesticides. At the same time we have to recognize that the moth invasions 95% of the time originate with the food we bring in to our homes. Because of this, prevention really doesn’t work (we all need to eat!).
Instead we need to focus on early detection of an emerging moth invasion. Early detection is accomplished by keeping a single early detection trap close to your food storage area. That single early detection moth trap is called a sentinel moth trap. So it isn’t any particular brand of moth trap ( you can continue using which ever brand moth trap you already stocked up on).
Most important when it comes to early detection through a sentinel moth trap is keeping the pheromone lure fresh… Many times I have gone through secondary infestations and would go check my sentinel trap only to find that the date on the trap was 9 months ago, 3 times too long, and the pheromone had dried out. So set reminders and keep the lures fresh!
So you had the right idea using a sentinel strategy, only it’s not a brand name, it’s the name of an approach to Integrated Pest Management IPM.
I wanted to let everyone know that I have been using a single trap in my garage for the last four years as a moth monitor . I never thought to call it a sentinel, but either way the idea works.
The last time I bought bird seed from Lowes it had moths I the seed, but my monitor spotted them and I was able to set out additional traps to prevent a major infestation. An ounce of prevention is worth saving 50lbs of black oil sunflower seed.
@Sandra,
My experience was pretty much the same. But when I was at Lowe’s I saw moths flying in the bird seed aisle, so I bought my wild bird food mix at walmart instead. But shortly afterwards I had another moth infestation..
I am so frustrated! I hate dealing with moths, but it had been such a cold winter, and the cardinals looked so hungry I had to do what I would to take care of them!
I wish stores would figure out why bird seed seems to include moths. 15 years ago this NEVER happened. I wonder what is different now?
The difference seems to be the storage conditions of the bird food before it reaches the retail packaging.
Try as I can it doesn’t seem like any brand in immune.
So I just keep Pantry Moth Traps on hand.
I have been trying several different brands and mean to post my results as soon as I finish a couple more traps.
I have been able to catch pantry moths in the traps I received from Traps Direct. The lures were single wrapped and really worked better than I would have thought.