Why Are Pantry Moths In My bathroom? – Explained

If you observe tiny brown moths with fluffy bodies fluttering out of sinks or showers closely, you’re dealing with moth flies, also known as drain or sewer flies. They adore the gelatinous muck that grows up down there. To get rid of them, you’ll have to wipe out sinks and drain pipes using a wire scrub brush.

The easiest approach to getting rid of drain flies is to have a pest control specialist clean the drains with a long-handled drain brush. Then treat the drains with a biocide solution, typically a foaming bacterial or enzyme compound or material.

Why are there moths in my house? Pantry items attract moth species that deposit their eggs in stored grains and processed food. These pests typically get into homes inside contaminated food packaging. Once inside, their eggs develop into larvae that devour grains, dry nuts, cereals, and a range of processed items.

Do moths go to the bathroom?

Adult butterflies do not urinate or defecate; when moths (Lymantria dispar) infest a forest, the excrement of the caterpillars sounds like rain. Occasionally, mature butterflies drink so much they must expel a thin liquid spray from the tip of their abdomen.

Why do moths keep appearing in my bathroom?

Moths live up to their name, often found near the bathroom and kitchen sinks or bath or shower drains. However, they are more commonly found in drains that have been stagnant for a long time, such as those in guest bathrooms.

Drain Fly Infestation Signs

The pesty drain flies can enter the bathroom drainage system, often known as sinks, sewers, or even moth flies! You will notice the bathroom ceiling and shower walls are jammed with moth flies. 

Flow Test

While the drain fly infestation is young, the fair number of drain files that settle in the ceiling or on walls might be readily ignored.

How do I keep moths out of my bathroom?

Cover all drains

Drain flies breed in wet, humid areas with plenty of organic waste. For this reason, they thrive in wet, decaying organic materials such as bathrooms, kitchen, or even service yard drainage outlets.

Pour cooking oil on all drain outlets and pipes. Tape the containers to the floor.

Cover the drain outlets and pipes for 48 hours. Note the 48-hour life cycle fluctuation. For example, a female drain fly may deposit 30 to 100 eggs, which hatch in 48 hours.

When drain flies emerge from their nesting habitats, they might be discovered stuck within the containers.

Drain Flies Diet

Sewage or other polluted water causes them to grow in humid pipes with standing water, attracting drain flies. Drain flies flourish and spawn in your drains because of this. Food and sewage can be found near rubbish, animal waste, or compost.

Are drain flies harmful?

No, drain flies do not hurt people. Drain flies are not disease-carrying insects, but they can spread germs in large groups. While they are annoying in the home, their health is not harmed. As previously said, drain flies may swiftly multiply, creating nests throughout your pipes that can be costly to remove.

How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies

Drain flies are hard to drown due to their thin water-repellent body hairs, and their eggs are unaffected by bleach. Exterminating this domestic pest requires removing the damp, decomposing organic materials that drain flies feed on. In addition, drain flies cannot breed if their breeding site is made unfriendly.

The safest method is to use kitchen products like baking soda and vinegar.

These are what you need, hot water, baking soda, white vinegar, and a kitchen scrub. 

Prepare boiling water

Prepare a pot of boiling water after discovering the cleanup spots. Pour the hot water down the drain. Ensure that the drainage exit or pipes are likewise saturated in hot water.

Add baking soda to the drain.

Pour baking soda into drains and pipes and scrub the drainpipe sides with a kitchen scrub. Cover the drainage outlets and pipes with baking soda as well.

The boiling water treatment will dislodge the dirty muck at the drain mouth, sides, and bottom. This helps the kitchen eliminate grime.

Place the white vinegar in the drain.

The explosive vinegar and baking soda will startle the last dirty muck. Rinse with extra-hot water to remove the muck.

Remove drain flies with mothballs.

Because drain flies are moths, the quickest approach to eliminating them is mothballs! Unfortunately, mothballs contain naphthalene, which is poisonous to drain flies.

Cover the drainage outlet or pipes with a transparent container, and add the mothballs to trap the drain flies with the lethal gas. Keep the mothballs in the outflow for 2 weeks to entirely remove drain flies.

Weekly Upkeep

Even if the drain flies are gone, you should clean the drainage outlet or pipes twice weekly. This will prevent the dirty muck from accumulating and attracting drain flies.

Why are there moths in my bathroom?

Inactive sinks and drains are breeding grounds for microorganisms and stagnant water. Drain flies are tiny, moth-like organisms that inhabit drains, showers, and bathtubs.

Drain fly prevention.

Drowning drain flies seek stagnant pools of sewage and organic matter. Preventing drain fly infestations involves regularly flushing pipes with water or, in certain situations, cleaning treatments. If a drain goes days or weeks without being used, seal it with a stopper to keep drain flies away.

Keep an eye on standing water and around your property. Never keep soiled mops in water buckets and maintain a sound septic system.

Keep a watch out for early indicators of an infestation, even if they are just a few drain flies. Anticipating and treating potential issues is critical.

Advertisements
Show 3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Pingback: Pantry Moth Infestation Extermination: How to get rid of pantry moths? – Pantry Raider

  2. Pingback: Will Mothballs Kill Pantry Moths? – Pantry Raider

  3. Pingback: Are Pantry Moths Harmful To Dogs And Pets? – Pantry Raider

Comments are closed