Latin: Hofmannophila pseudospretella
The brown house moth with the Latin name Hofmannophila pseudospretella is especially known for being able to attack and live in many things. But often the brown house moth prefers to attack bird nests, where it can feed on both nesting material and remnants of the birds’ feed.
Appearance
The brown house moth can grow up to 1.5 centimeters long. The moth has an almost bronze-brown color, while its forewings are characterized by some small dark spots that are quite clear in expression. The larvae of the brown house moth can grow up to 2 centimeters long. Their bodies have a whitish color, while their heads are dark brown.
Biology and behavior
When the female moth lays her eggs, she does so individually. And if she has the circumstances in her favor, she can lay up to 5-600 eggs in her lifetime. The larvae are not particularly busy getting their lives started, and their development is slow. At the same time, factors such as temperature and humidity play a major role in the speed of their development.
The development of the larvae can even come to a complete standstill if the conditions are not proper. This means that the larvae go into dormant phase. They remain in this phase and only resume their activities when their conditions are favorable again. It is especially dehydration that can have a negative effect on the development of the larvae. Their susceptibility to dehydration means that their development cannot be carried out if the humidity is below 80% constant.
When the larva pupates and transforms from a larva to an adult moth, it happens in a brownish cocoon that has the shape of a torpedo. Under normal circumstances, only one generation of brown house moth will hatch per year.
Damage
As described, bird nests are popular targets for the brown house moth to settle. Here they can feed on the birds’ feed residues and nesting material. But sometimes a brown house moth can also get lost inside the home. Such a visit is nothing to fear in newer homes, where the indoor conditions hopefully live up to current standards. The brown house moth cannot constitute the major damage to the home if the conditions in the home are otherwise sufficiently dry.
If there is moisture in the home, however, the brown house moth may well cause damage. It can attack damp leather goods, such as bookbinders or furniture, just as it can attack damp corks in damp wine cellars or materials of cork in general. But the brown house moth does not stop here. Woolen fabrics that have been stored too moist can also provide a hearty meal for the brown house moth.
It is even worse if the brown house moth attack grain ceilings and seed stores or other places where different types of plant materials are stored. For instance, moist feed, flour, groats, or powdered milk. Here, the brown house moth can quickly do great damage to the stock.
Prevention and pest control
When it comes to keeping brown house moth from buildings, the strategy should rest on prevention. The brown house moth will search for moist food sources and areas. Therefore, one can avoid infestation by providing dry storage conditions for both textiles, seeds, grains, feeds, and the like.
If grain, seeds, or feedstuffs have been attacked by brown house moth, they should be dried as soon as possible. It is possible to dust the surface of the pile with a special insect powder approved for this purpose, which will kill the larvae that seek up to the surface, as well as the egg laying brown house moth females. An insect powder can also be used to dust cracks, fissures, foot panels and the underside of the carpet. Minor attacks can usually be combated with freezing. When attacking textiles, there are several methods that can be used. Here you can choose to freeze, wash, clean or vacuum an infested item. Carpets should be thoroughly vacuumed and treated with a liquid moth sprayed on the area.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)