Part 15 (Chapter 16) Introduction to Urban and Industrial Integrated Pest Management

Regardless of the insecticide being used to control fabric pests, be sure to tell the homeowner to keep small [a] and [b] away from treated furniture and carpeting until they are completely dry.

Pest management professionals should never attempt to mothproof [a]. Mothproofing implies [b] applications of an insecticide to avoid infestation.

Fabric insects are able to digest [a] and utilize it as an energy source. This material is found in hair, feathers, and skin.

[a] (in moth balls) is effective for preventive control of fabric pests, but is less desirable to use than paradichlorobenzene /(PDCB) and is no longer available in the US.

Clothes moths have [a] metamorphosis.

When using a microscope to examine damaged goods, care should be taken to avoid confusing [a] with [b], which are frequently of the same color as the fabric the pest larvae are feeding on.

Odd beetle larvae are similar in appearance to larvae of the other carpet beetles, but odd beetle larvae do not have long [a] at the tip of the abdomen.

Hide beetles are considered miscellaneous pests, but also fabric pests because they can be found in [a] and [b] that process [c] and [d].

When controlling existing fabric insect infestations in carpet, it is important to apply a sufficient amount of spray to get the insecticide down into the pile where the [a] stages are feeding.

Unlike carpet beetles, clothes moths are rarely seen flying around [a] at night.

Fabric insects

a.)are troublesome because they use cellulose as an energy source

b.)are never found in stored foods

c.)occasionally damage synthetic fibers

d.)include silverfish, which are considered a true fabric insect

The black carpet beetle

a.)is commonly found on dead animal carcasses in nature

b.)female lays approximately 50 eggs over three weeks

c.)eggs are rarely deposited on lint accumulations

d.)are general feeders

Webbing clothes moths

a.)are most abundant in the warm summer months

b.)feed as both adults and larvae

c.)prefer to feed on recently cleaned fabric

d.)are usually seen flying around rooms where infestations are located

When controlling fabric pests

a.)it is important to maintain household cleanliness

b.)it is not important to clean carpets prior to treatment

c.)small children and pets can contact treated surfaces before they are dry

d.)only use water-based chemicals

The webbing clothes moth

a.)larval development depends on food quality, relative humidity, and temperature

b.)larvae produce feeding tunnels of silk

c.)adults are long lived, usually with a lifespan of one year

d.)is the most common clothes moth in the United States

Mothproofing

a.)is the same thing as moth control

b.)of clothing should not be done by the pest management professional

c.)is often accomplished during the manufacture of woolen items

d.)does not give permanent protection

If furniture is infested with fabric insects

a.)special attention should be given to the padding inside upholstered furniture

b.)dusts are useful when applied to areas not in direct contact with people or pets

c.)sprays may be applied to exposed padding

d.)soak upholstery thoroughly

Carpet beetles

a.)are found only in bird nests

b.)damage woolens when they are in the adult stage

c.)undergo incomplete metamorphosis

d.)as a group, are considered more economically important than clothes moths

Common species of grain moths sometimes found flying in homes can be confused with clothes moths. These grain moths include the

a.)sunflower moth

b.)Angoumois grain moth

c.)Indianmeal moth

d.)wax moth

The casemaking clothes moth

a.)can be identified reliably with three dark spots on the wings

b.)adults typically have somewhat smaller wingspread compared to webbing clothes moths

c.)essentially leave no signs of webbing on infested fabric

d.)is a particular pest of feathers and down

The key (on page 396) for recognition of damage identifies three (3) kinds of damage not caused by insects. List these types of damage and tell how to distinguish each type.

In recent years, there seems to have been an increase in carpet beetle problems. Give two (2) reasons that may have contributed to this trend.

List five (5) sanitation procedures to prevent fabric pest infestations

Carpeting can be stained by certain insecticides. List five (5) precautions the professional may take when applying either water-based or oil-based sprays to carpets.