Fabric & Paper Pests

Throughout the year widespread problems relevant to fabric pest are noted by homeowners and in commercial businesses. This is because of the common use of wool and other animal hair in clothing, carpeting, furniture, etc., and sometimes the inability to correctly protect these items from intrusion. These pests share the unusual ability to digest the protein keratin, the major component of animal hair, feathers, horn, hoofs, etc. The Psocids, Firebrats and Silverfish are mostly pests of paper products, but some are known to invade food items.

Thorough inspection, detection, identification and treatment solutions proposed for various fabric (clothes) and paper infesting pests. This unique form of pest control is performed by a highly trained manager or one of our specialist seeking control of one or more of the following fabric damaging species -Carpet Beetles, Case Making Clothes Moths, Webbing Clothes Moths, Silverfish/Bristletails, Psocids, Firebrats.

Proper and prompt identification along with necessary preparations are essential when dealing with these pests because of their destructive nature to clothes, area rugs, furniture and other areas inside homes and businesses.

Carpet Beetle

Carpet beetles, as their name implies, are capable of damaging carpets. These pests will also feed upon many other materials besides carpets and will attack any item composed of animal fibers such as wool, furs, silk, feathers, felt and leather. Serious infestations of carpet beetles can develop undetected in a home, causing significant damage to clothing, bedding, floor coverings and other articles. Although there are many different species of carpet beetles, the adults of all species are small, oval-shaped beetles about 1/8 inch long. The black carpet beetle (the most common … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beetles, Fabric & Paper Pests

Casemaking Clothes Moth

Common Name: Casemaking clothes moth Scientific Name: Tinea pellionella Linnaeus Order: Lepidoptera DESCRIPTION: Adult moths have buff colored, 1/4-inch long wings fringed with hairs and held over their backs when at rest. The forewings of the casemaking clothes moth are brownish with three dark spots, while those of the webbing clothes moth are uniformly golden. Caterpillars of the casemaking clothes moths feed from within a somewhat flattened silken case which is dragged over the food source. Only their heads and legs appear outside, but from either end of the case. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fabric & Paper Pests, Moths

House Mouse

House Mice Control - Bill Clark Pest Control

The house mouse is about five to eight inches long and has very large, distinct ears. Their color may range from light brown to almost black. They have a tail that is as long as the head and body combined. Mice have peak activity periods right after dusk and again before dawn. They are primarily nocturnal, but will have short periods of feeding throughout the day. The house mouse will eat all types of food. They will consume seeds, insects, snails, carrion and worms. Mice are capable of surviving long periods without water. Mice are nearsighted and rely on their sense of smell to provide … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Norway Rat

The Norway rat is also called the brown rat, gray rat, sewer rat, water rat, wharf rat and barn rat. This rat will grow up to 16 inches from nose to tail. The tail is shorter in length than the body. These rats are typically a grayish-brown color, but can be a blackish or reddish-brown. Norway rats will nest in burrows in the ground. Burrows that have a smooth appearance at entrances are usually active burrows. These rats often feed on grains, seeds and vegetation, but will feed on anything provided in urban settings. These rats will also separate undigested food particles from animal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crop Damaging Pests, Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Roof Rat

AKA: Black Rat This rat also takes the names of ship rat and house rat. They are an arboreal, or tree-dwelling, species. Roof rats are medium sized and around 16 inches from nose to tail. Their tail is longer than its body. These rats are black or brown with a whitish or gray belly. Roof rats tend to nest in trees and vegetation, but will also nest in attics or wall voids. Roof rats also nest in the ground, if Norway rats are not in the same area. Roof rats will feed on snails, nuts or fruit. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Disease Carriers, Fabric & Paper Pests, Fall and Winter Pests, Farm Pests, Nuisance Animals, Property Damaging Pests, Rodents

Silverfish

Also known as "Bristletails," Silverfish are nocturnal, elongated and flattened insects typically 13–25 millimetres (0.51–0.98 in) long. Their abdomen tapers at the end, giving them a fish-like appearance. The newly hatched are whitish, but develop a greyish hue and metallic shine as they get older. They have three long cerci at the tips of their abdomens, one off the end of their body, one facing left, and one facing right. They also have two small compound eyes, despite other members of Thysanura being completely eyeless, such as the family Nicoletiidae. Like other species in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fabric & Paper Pests

Webbing Clothes Moth

IDENTIFICATION: The webbing clothes moth is the most common fabric moth. Adults are golden colored with reddish golden hairs on top of the head. Wings, with a span of about 1/2 inch, are fringed with a row of golden hairs. Because the moths are weak flyers and not attracted to lights, they are usually found very close to the infested items, such as in dark areas of closets. DAMAGE: The larva is the damaging stage of the clothes moth. Both species feed on wool clothing, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, furs, stored wool, animal bristles in brushes, wool felts in pianos, and fish … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fabric & Paper Pests, Moths