While Sydneysiders are loving this amazing spell of warm weather, it seems moths are thriving on it too.
Turns out, the perfect conditions for these insects are heat, humidity and rain – which is exactly what we’ve had this summer.
“It is the perfect climate for insects breeding in big numbers and then spiders are feeding off that,” said David Bock, coordinator of Search & Discover and Kidspace at the Australian Museum.
Pantry moths are a much smaller version of the insect and love to feed on grains, nuts, rice and other dry food – all of which is found in our kitchen cupboards.
Even if the food is wrapped in cardboard or plastic, the moths will often weasel their way in and lay eggs in the food. They then weave small webs, creating small clumps of food.
Oliver Robbins, Competitive Pest Control customer service manager, told the Sydney Morning Herald that if you see one moth or a baby, it’s guaranteed to be breeding somewhere.
“In their life cycle, an adult could lay 300-400 eggs and they lay eggs directly onto the food source,” says Bock.
To eradicate the problem, he suggests an annual cupboard clean-out. Remove everything in there, wash all walls of your cupboard with warm, soapy water, and use a cotton swab to get into the hard-to-reach places.
VIDEO: Mother of Columbine shooter opens up in TV interview
