Brown house moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) is a species of moth that can often be found in both domestic and commercial buildings; whilst often associated with damage to clothes and fabrics the moth’s larvae have a tendency to prefer cereals and foodstuff. They are commonly found around skirting boards and under open floorboards where natural fibres and hairs often build up. Brown house moth can also be associated with fur either from dead animals such as a rodent carcasses or from an item of clothing.

Whilst this is a common moth no specific product is manufactured for their control and we have no available pheromones; testing other products has shown that alternative pheromones will not work and therefore we do not advise using pheromone based products as a control method.

Treatment of brown house moths should begin with a survey to identify and remove any possible source, followed by treatment with an insecticide surface spray to kill any activity whilst preventing any reoccurrence. Using an insecticide powder is an ideal method of long-term prevention when used in areas away from general occupation. Rooms and voids should be treated with insecticidal smoke or aerosol as a method to reduce the adult population.

Cleaning the area before any treatment is recommended; if using a vacuum it is important to only use if a HEPA filter is installed, otherwise you risk egg dispersal from the outlet. Particular attention should be taken to the wall/floor junctions (skirting boards), between wooden floorboards and furniture that contains fabric.