Congratulations! You are the owner of a first class wool moth infestation. For the skins, the most efficient way in your situation would be to spray them well with something for biting insects (yes, insecticide), place them in those supersized Ziploc bags(you can spray into the bag, doesn't get into your rooms) and freeze them - first for at least 2 weeks, thaw for 2 weeks, freeze again, thaw again, freeze again and hope they're gone. In the meantime, you'll need to wash or dry clean ALL wool items that you own, after washing place in tightly sealed plastic containers and watch carefully. After a few weeks, inspect carefully and treat anything that still has moths, dead moths or larvae as you did the sheepskins. Any wool rugs should go to the cleaners - you can request mothproofing at many rug cleaning firms.
You got these little guys through close association. Wool moths don't fly in through open windows, especially in NYC. Either you purchased something of wool that contained eggs or larvae OR some crawled into your apartment through cracks in the plaster where your closets back up to the neighbors. If you continue to have problems - there is a product from Raid that is a fumigating canister - they come in a 3-pack - and you place the canister in a dish of water and your have 3 minutes to exit your apartment. After about 6 hours it is safe to go back in. Don't ask for details, but we've been forced to do this and it is effective. I'm thinking that just one would do your whole apartment - and it may need repeating after a week to catch stragglers. After that, go here http://pestproducts.com/clothes_moth_trap.htm or to any other supplier who carries CLOTHES MOTH PHEROMONE TRAPS and get a supply. They last 3 months and catch fliers to alert you to a reinfestation. In the 2 years following our treatment, we've found only one - that flew into a trap within hours of a visit by a suspicious person with large, old, ratty knitting bag. Lavender and herbals may repel moths, but they do not kill them, nor do they guarantee that no moths will ever live in your home. These pheromone traps are the best way to go for people who love wool. Sara von Tresckow, Fond du Lac, WI [email protected] http://www.woolgatherers.com Dutch Master Loom/Spinning Chairs/Öxabäck Looms, vendors at Wisconsin Spin In
