How to stop moths from destroying YOUR home – experts warn pesky insects can lay eggs in your wine, contaminate your breakfast cereal and even chew holes in your carpet

Many British households will be turning up their thermostats as the colder weather sets in in November.

But experts have warned that this could provide the perfect habitat for moths to invade your home and feast on your clothes and carpets.

And the pesky insects don’t just destroy your fabrics, as one Notting Hill country house owner found out the hard way.

Iya Patarkatsishvili and her husband bought the Victorian property for £32.5million but were left distraught when they discovered it was teeming with ‘millions’ of insects.

Moths landed on their toothbrushes, cutlery and plates of food, while glasses of wine had to be dumped down the sink when moths floated into them.

The insects destroyed their clothes and caused £50,000 worth of damage, and the couple are now suing the former owner over the ‘infestation’.

To help you avoid a similar situation, experts have revealed their top tips for preventing bugs from taking over your home.

From dehumidifiers to lavender sachets and vacuum-packing clothes, taking action early can help prevent a full-blown infestation.

Why do moths enter your house?

The main reason why moths enter your home is that they are looking for warmth, which provides the required conditions for laying their eggs.

According to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), higher temperatures are known to accelerate egg laying by moths, making wardrobe invasions more likely.

‘Moths, like many other pest species, depend on certain conditions to thrive,’ a spokesperson for the BPCA told MailOnline.

‘The warmer temperatures in summer help moth life cycles, but increasingly warmer winters and temperature-controlled buildings mean they can also be a problem at other times of the year.’

The common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) is by far the most common moth pest in the world and has been in Britain since the 19th century.

But another species, the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), also known as the pantry moth, is known to contaminate food.

There are of course many moth species that are not considered clothing-eating pests, which you may encounter repeatedly against light bulbs.

Moth-eaten carpets may be a common sight from summers past. It is actually the larvae of the moth that eat natural materials in carpets and clothing

What damage can moths cause?

Although they can be annoying, adult clothes moths that you see flying through your rooms do not feed on your fabrics at all.

In reality, it is their larvae – the tiny worm-like, wingless juveniles – that eat your fur, silk, wool, tweed, sheepskin and even feathers.

The larvae feed on proteins, including keratin, found in these animal-derived clothing fibers to stimulate their growth process.

In addition to clothing, they can cause irreparable and costly damage to carpets, upholstered furniture such as sofas, blankets and other furnishings.

Meanwhile, another species, the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) – also known as the pantry moth – can often be seen flying around kitchens and food stores and likes to infest cupboards by laying eggs.

The hatched larvae can penetrate packaging materials such as paper, cellophane and polyethylene, according to the BPCA.

This means he can live in the food of his choice, stored in your cupboard or pantry, whether it’s flour, cookies or cereal.

In the photo the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) and its larvae that have infected a container with corn. The species is also called the stock moth

“The problem arises when female moths lay their eggs in or around our food,” says Professor Tanya Latty, an entomologist at the University of Sydney.

‘The tiny eggs hatch into barely visible cream-colored caterpillars that are small enough to crawl into poorly sealed food containers. There they start to feed.

‘As they grow, caterpillars produce large quantities of silk tissues and feces, both of which can contaminate food.’

Professor Latty adds that he looks for ‘suspicious webs in a cereal box’, which could be a sign that pantry moths have taken up residence there.

Other species, such as the cork moth and the European grain moth, are known to lay their eggs in wine corks if they are not covered by a seal.

Cork also provides a food source for the larvae, which leads to cork spoilage and affects the quality of the wine.

The liquid may also be contaminated with moth larvae, meaning expensive, unopened bottles may need to be thrown away.

It is unclear whether this problem affected the billionaire homeowners in Notting Hill, who said they had to pour wine down the sink after finding moths in it.

The cork moth (Nemapogon cloacella, photo) is mainly found in forests, especially where dead wood is present, but is also known to like wine cellars

What should I do if I accidentally eat moth larvae?

According to Professor Latty, the good news is that accidentally eating moth larvae is unlikely to cause any health problems.

However, finding the little squiggly caterpillars in the cereal you’ve been enjoying all week isn’t a fun experience.

“Given how common they are in stored food, you’ve probably already unknowingly consumed a lot of moth eggs and larvae,” the academic said.

“Thank goodness caterpillars are generally an excellent source of protein.”

How do I protect my house from moths?

Because clothes moths like a warm and humid room to lay eggs, a good tip is to turn down the thermostat, keep rooms well ventilated, and use a dehumidifier in strategic places, such as outside your wardrobe.

Also vacuum and clean your carpets or rugs regularly, especially in the corners and crevices, to remove eggs – and dispose of the contents of the vacuum cleaner regularly.

In the photo the larva (immature form of an insect) of the common clothes moth that feeds on dust

Placing lavender sachets, fresh conkers, eucalyptus and bay leaves in wardrobe drawers is also said to help.

However, these natural substances produce gases that act as a mild insecticide and kill both moths and larvae.

Another method of controlling the pests is to purchase mothballs, which release fumes that are toxic to moth larvae.

Other ways to limit the damage they do to your home include vacuum-packing clothes, storing high-risk items in the freezer and switching to moth-proof carpets.

Washing clothes at high temperatures – with water heated above 55°C (131°F) during the cycle – is also effective at killing any eggs.

To protect your food, BPCA recommends storing it in tightly closed containers, such as stackable plastic bins, rather than in the original packaging after it has been opened.

BPCA adds: ‘Use a vacuum cleaner regularly to remove food debris in cupboards to remove the tempting, easily accessible food source.’

Unfortunately, there is a risk that you may buy food that is already contaminated, but in this case the store must refund your money.

In the photo: larvae of the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) with infested grain. To protect your food, BPCA recommends storing it in tightly sealed containers, such as stackable plastic containers

Are all moths bad?

Wildlife experts emphasize that not all moth species pose a threat to your clothes and food, although some pose a danger in other ways.

For example, the hairy larvae of the oak processionary moth found throughout England can cause itchy rashes and asthma attacks.

Further afield, the giant silkworm moth (Lonomia obliqua) in South America releases bristles that inject a potentially deadly poison.

However, of the approximately 2,500 species of moths in Britain, the vast majority are considered harmless, the BPCA says, and many do not enter homes.

Britain is home to some very beautiful species, such as the lesser emperor moth, the cinnabar moth, the scarlet tiger moth and the elephant hawk moth.

Some moths are active during the day, while nocturnal animals are attracted to indoor lighting, a phenomenon known as positive phototaxis.

The reason why they do this has never been confirmed, although a popular theory is that they mistake lamps for moonlight, which they use to orient themselves while flying.