Ever notice those mysterious holes that appear in a forgotten sweater? Quick to blame moths? Well, moths are not the only insect capable of chewing through the fabric. Carpet beetles, silverfish, termites, cockroaches, and crickets all have the ability to tear through your clothing. The presence of each of these insects can be prevented.

  • Carpet Beetle

Carpet beetles can lay over 100 eggs! They’re small too and can often be found in tiny spaces likes cracks in your flooring or in your carpet. The real danger is larvae. Adult beetles do not eat fabric. Larvae enjoy eating fibers such as wool, fur, and mohair. They’re also capable of moving all over the place. You can find them in dark areas like air ducts and behind baseboards.

  • Moth

The two most common types of moths that eat fabric are case-bearing and webbing moths. Moth larvae are also notorious for feeding on various fabrics. Most adult webbing moths do not like leaving their dark spaces. It is the larvae you have to worry about.

  • Termite

Many people don’t know that termites can also chew through the fabric. Although they do not eat the fabric itself, they are attracted to it whenever it’s soiled with food or drink.

  • Cockroach

While cockroaches don’t particularly enjoy eating fabric, they do like feasting on food stains and drink skills left on clothing. As cockroaches eat away at these stains, they can often leave holes and stains of their own. Brown cockroach stains are very difficult to get out unless you’re using non-chlorine bleach.

  • Silverfish

Like their cockroach friends, silverfish are also attracted to stains left behind by food or drink. They also enjoy fabrics like silk and cotton. They’re pretty easy to find. Once they locate a food source, they won’t move very far. They typically feed at night and enjoy more moderate weather. Like the other insects listed here, they enjoy their dark crevices.

At Rusk Heating & Cooling, duct cleaning services are offered. Many of these insects call the hard-to-reach areas surrounding your heating or air cooling system home. It’s important to regularly clean these areas as insects love to breed in them, and as we learned from above, larvae are the real danger.