The most effective method for driving off invading moths is to treat your yard with an insecticide that kills moths and their larva. You can also kill adult moths with a bug zapper, adhesive trap, or a homemade moth trap made from soapy water. To keep bugs away from your yard and outdoor lounge spaces, light citronella candles, hang mosquito netting, or plant garden herbs that repel moths. If the moth infestation can’t be conquered with these super-effective methods, it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
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8 Ways to Get Rid of Moths in Your Yard
Lawn moths can be a nuisance. If they invade your home, they can destroy food and clothing. So, it pays to keep moths out of your yard. If you’ve got a moth problem in your yard, here’s how to solve it:
Apply a Moth-Killing Lawn Treatment
Specialized insecticides can help control the moth population if applied to your entire lawn. The benefit of pesticide is that it kills moth eggs and sod webworms where traps wouldn’t. Use this lawn treatment pesticide to help kill moth larvae and any other pests in your grass. This will help drive moths out of your yard and prevent future infestations.
Hang a Bug Zapper Outside
Bug zapper lights are a great way to kill moths outdoors. Simply hang this bug zapper in an outdoor space and turn it on at night. Moths will be attracted by the UV light emitted by the zapper. Then, when the moths come to investigate the light, they will be quickly electrocuted and killed. High-tech bug zappers can easily kill all species of moths.
Use Commercial Moth Traps
Adhesive moth traps can catch moths whenever they land. Place adhesive strips near anything a moth might investigate. A great place to put them is near outdoor lights, where moths congregate. Use these indoor/outdoor adhesive traps to catch pesky moths. This is a great way to stop moderate moth infestations.
Make Your Own Moth Traps
To make your own moth trap, simply fill a glass bowl or baking pan with a few inches of water. Then, mix in 1–2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dish soap. Set the container near an outdoor light fixture at night. The light reflecting off the water will draw moths to the water/soap mixture. The moths will die on contact with the soapy water.
Light Citronella Candles
The smell of burning citronella or heated citronella oil will naturally repel moths, mosquitos, and other bugs away from your outdoor spaces. Use these citronella candles to help drive away moths. You can also rub citronella oil directly on surfaces that moths may be attracted to. Consider rubbing your lights with citronella while they’re off. Once they’re on, they’ll heat the oil and cause the moth-repelling scent to spread.
Install Moth Barriers
You don’t have to get rid of the moths in your yard so long as you can keep them away from you and your guests when you’re outdoors. Mosquito nets can easily keep moths away from outdoor spaces like patios and decks. Use this outdoor mosquito net for gazebos to keep all sorts of bugs out of your outdoor space.
Add Moth-Repelling Plants to Your Garden
There are several common garden plants that repel destructive moths. Scents moths hate include lavender, rosemary, and thyme. Growing any of these plants in your garden will help reduce the local moth population by driving them away. Plus, these plants provide beneficial herbs you can cook with.
Contact a Pest Control Professional
If you’re battling an extremely stubborn insect infestation, it’s time to call in professional help. Contact a local pest control and insect extermination company. Pest control services will succeed where other methods fail. Professional exterminators have access to tools and hardware that can make eliminating a moth infestation quick and easy.
What Causes Moth Infestations Outside?
Moth infestations usually come down to two main factors: plenty of light and ample food. Destructive moths arrive to feed first and then linger near lights. This is what causes a moth infestation.
- Moths congregate where there is plenty of food and nighttime light sources.
- Be sure to clean up food waste outdoors to ward off moths.
- Replace fluorescent and incandescent bulbs with yellow bulbs.
To keep moths under control, clean up your outdoor area to remove all possible food sources for moths. Watch out for fruit trees as their fruit can fall, rot, and attract plenty of pests. Also, it’s a good idea to replace your light bulbs with yellow bulbs. Moths are far less attracted to yellow light than they are to bright white outdoor lights.
Does Vinegar Get Rid of Moths?
Vinegar solutions kill moths and active larvae on contact. You can fill a spray bottle with vinegar directly or you can water it down with up to one cup of water. Either way, the resulting liquid will be strong enough to kill moths on contact.
- Sprayed vinegar solutions kill moths on contact.
- This solution works best on small infestations or individual moths.
However, this solution is not very effective for large infestations. You have to spray moths directly to kill them. You cannot treat an entire outdoor space with vinegar, since it will harm grass and plants on contact. While vinegar is an effective solution for killing individual moths, it’s not a solution for a full-scale moth infestation.
How Do You Get Rid of Moth Larvae in Your Lawn?
The best ways to get rid of moths in your backyard are:
- Treat your lawn with pesticides to kill larval stage moths.
- Use outdoor bug zappers to attract and kill adult moths.
- Hang adhesive moth traps outdoors to attract and kill moths.
- Make your own moth trap by filling a clear bowl with soapy water and placing it near an outdoor light at night.
- Use repellents like citronella to drive moths away.
- Hang mosquito netting as a barrier to keep moths out of decks and patios.
- Plant moth-repellent herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, and thyme in your garden.
- Hire a local pest control professional to control heavy moth infestations.
These methods will provide all the ammunition you need to wipe out the moths currently invading your yard, keep them from reproducing, and make your outdoor spaces less attractive to moths in the future. With these tips, you’ll have a moth-free yard quickly.
