# Please Help! Moths?



## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Okay, so I think during the warmer parts of the Fall, I had my bedroom window open sometimes without a screen. I saw this little tan moth thing flying around my room. I thought it was because I had left the windows open (it probably was) but even after I killed the first one I saw, there were more. And more. And more. They are reproducing in my room!! I keep finding them!
They flutter around my room I noticed more at night, but during the day they are more still.

I think they are attracted to my bird seed. I often find them around my bird cages. And well, it's kind of difficult to remove bird seed completely from my room. It's in their dishes, on the floor of their cage, and on the floor of my room, even if I sweep every day and clean out their cages everyday! I can't avoid it!

What's even grosser is that I keep finding these larvae wormy thingys that are the same color as the moths. I think that those are moth babies or something, and its GROSSING ME COMPLETELY THE HECK OUT. What's strange is I only find the larvae wormy thingys on red stuff and paper.

I don't know what to do!! It's not like I can just spray some kind of bug killer thingy in my room, that'll definitely hurt the birds, and my parents don't really like the idea of me moving my birds anywhere else. But it is completely disgusting! I can't stand it!! Ew! I get this icky feeling when I go in my room that they're crawling all over me! Eck!

Does anybody else happen to be familiar with these moth things? And does anybody have any idea what I should do to get rid of them? I'm sorry, but they're not welcome in my room...Please help!


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## HAJiME (Sep 20, 2009)

My first port of call would be find out what species the moths are, because from there you can find out what their life cycle is and what they eat, etc. You might find out, for example, that the larvae eat carpet, which might give you a clue where you need to completely clean out to find them.

The best way to do this is find a wildlife forum for the place you live, they will likely have an ID section where you can post a pic of the larve and adults if you can (or just describe) and someone with an interest in moths and butterflies will be able to help. Whenever I've needed to find out what a species is, if I can't find out myself by googling something like "moths of whatever state you live in", I post on a British wildlife forum and have always found out. They may also be able to help advise what you do about the problem. 

Good luck, that's what I'd do!


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I've figured out what kind of moths they are. On Talk Budgies, there were a lot of people who have had the same exact problem, and they are fortunately helping me there.


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## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

Seed moths! Yeh!

You do need to remove all open seed bags and any build up of seeds.
I take it you only have them in your bed room at the moment. If they move looking for any new food supply they will attack any flour based product.

Getting rid of them will be a long job, as from what I understand is that they return to 
place of birth to procreate. They may of arrived in a seed mix? Not the open window.
Placing all seed in the freezer for a few hours, will kill any bugs in the seed. Not that I would use any contaminated seed, myself.
Some cheaper plastic bags are not chew proof, and they will bite very small holes in the bag to get in. Cheap fix for this is place sealed bag of seed in another larger sealed bag.
The moth will still lay eggs, but when they hatch they need food quickly or they transpire.

Good luck


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Moth Removal Update:

I am sweeping every inch of my room, making sure I get up all the seeds I can. I've killed a lot of the moths and I have found a lot of their hiding places. I'm in the process of freezing my seed.

I need to look into those traps, though. I've actually noticed less and less moths. It seems it is getting a little better, but I just want to be completely sure they are gone.


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Good luck with thise moths...they sound like such a pain!


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Trust me, they are. You do not want them!! Freeze new seed! ALWAYS! (That is the lesson I am learning from this.)


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

I have had tiels for years and thankfully I have not had to deal with these pests. I live in sunny Florida...well lately it has been freezing here. What state do you live in?


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I live in Ohio. It's very cold! There's also snow everywhere.


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## shelagh (Nov 2, 2010)

I vaguely remember having meal moths around for a brief time in my childhood home (also in Ohio). We cleaned out the pantries and got new seed for the birds. I don't think we used any traps or poison, but we did manage to clear out the problem rather quickly as I recall.


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Abby said:


> I live in Ohio. It's very cold! There's also snow everywhere.


I would love to see snow...just for a couple of days though


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

I really hope it's that easy for me. It seems like they keep coming out of nowhere. I wish my birds would gobble them up.... :lol:


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## shelagh (Nov 2, 2010)

Take care to check all of your human foodstuffs as well; those moths can be belligerent jerks!


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

They're seed moths. We have them, too. When you buy a bag of seed, they're probably already in it, and if you buy big bags that take a while to get through, they'll start hatching and the hatched ones will lay more eggs and you'll find webby-looking things in your birds' food. 

When you bring seed home, you can freeze it for a few days before you open it and that should do it. But after you open it, don't keep it in the bag. Get an airtight container, preferably with a screw-on lid, and pour the seed in that. Keep the lid on all the time. And don't buy big batches of seed all at once. Buy smaller containers that you'll use up faster. It's a pain to have to keep trekking back to the shop for more food, but it'll keep you from dealing with the moths. 

They're a pain, but they don't bite or anything.


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Ew. I found two moths mating. Thankfully they were too distracted to notice me and my baseball bat. XD


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Abby said:


> Ew. I found two moths mating. Thankfully they were too distracted to notice me and my baseball bat. XD


Lol at least they died happy


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## Abby (Jul 30, 2010)

Hahahahaha


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## Annie (Nov 20, 2009)

Wow. Having read this entire thread, I now have a question. About once a month, I find a bug in my room.  I wish I had taken a picture to post on here (I will next time I see one). Anyway, it's always the same kind of bug, kind of oval, with lots of legs, and a dark brownish colour(and very docile and slow-moving). I'm wondering if those bugs came from the seeds?  I don't see how it's possible since my bag of seeds is kept in the livingroom inside a coffee tin. I'm wondering if they hatched from the seeds that have been flung on the floor in my room by His Little Royal Highness that I never swept up? It's driving me nuts not knowing where they come from and I consistently find about one every month in my room which I would escort outside (I'm Buddhist---Buddha said no killing!). If anyone knows anything about these brown bugs please tell me!


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