We had a major problem with pantry moths a couple of years ago. Then we cleared everything out and put anything that hadn't been contaminated into tightly sealed glass jars.

Still, these little pests keep coming back! There aren't many of them, but I know they're still here.

Is there a natural solution, like hanging certain herbs or something, that will make them leave us once and for all?

Thanks for your help!

Moths dislike rosemary, wormwood, sage, lavender, mint and tansy so you could try hanging those in the pantry. Spearmint, lavender, hyssop, citronella and peppermint oils are also repellents.

Thank you! By the way, what happens if you accidentally eat something with those moths or whatever it is they do to your food? Can it make you sick or is it just harmlessly disgusting?

Not sure. My daughter ate one (we think) and then found another in her mac and cheese. She's fine, but it was disgusting. I threw out all the boxes from the cupboard.

The worst that would happen is having the food coming back up the way it went in - quickly <g> these critters can lay eggs number places, sometimes in any small crevice. I've even found them in edges of tin boxes & opened one w/ chocolate to find they'd hatched inside, eaten the choc, then died because too big as larvae or adults to get out. Wash all shelves w/ strong cleaner; spray the detergent in any crevices you can't wash. I also suggest investing in large ziploc bags & immediately seal all grain products, cereals, cake mixes, etc. Plastic containers w/ tight lids OK too. Remember, you might bring eggs or larvae in w/ products.

My dad had these forever - pesky little suckers! They got in his mixed nuts and I'm sure he ate some (couldnt see them) - they don't harm you. He got some old fashioned fly/sticky paper in the end, and it helped more quickly than anything else. I think it may have been made for panty moths. We wound up throwing lots of stuff out.

If you have an allergy to keratin a protein found in insects and their discarded shells then you may have a problem.

I have found this to be extremely informative - and disgusting. Neither one of us has had any unusual reactions to anything, so let's just hope that it means that we're OK. I will keep the keratin thing in mind.

Seriously, I have found them in all kinds of disgusting ways. They LOVE chocolate. They found some big solid pieces (solid easter bunnies and the like) and made little roads all over them. They got into the rice. They have been into the tea tins big time.

Fyi, they will eat straight through even the toughest plastic bags, even sealed professionally. Glass jars with tight lids are the only solution we've found that works.

We rent our apartment, and like the city of florence, the cabinetry is old. This means that there are a zillion places for these buggers to hide. It took 2 days to get them out the first time, and I'll still find one flying around every now and then.

I didn't know what they were when I saw them early on! I didn't think it was crisis time. However, as I saw them multiplying to the point where they were ALWAYS somewhere, I mentioned it to my hubby. He came into the kitchen, saw them fluttering about, and exclaimed with the placid, happy innocence of a child, "butterflies!".

I have tried to get him on board with me - when you see one, kill it - but I don't think he's swatted at even one of them. :)

We've been talking about getting a new kitchen installed in the fall. Not for the butterflies, but I won't be sad if they leave us in peace... :)

Until you put in new kitchen you could try 50% isopropyl alcohol solution or rubbing alcohol spraying it on all services in your pantry will kill adult, larvae and eggs not in packaging. If the wood is not varnished it will damage your stain. Any processed food not in glass or metal containers dispose of it. Check pet food as this is a big problem for vendors and food infesting moths

Put 2 - 3 pheromone traps in kitchen (they use a natural insect compound to attract males so the females have no one to mate with).

Check out renttokill in your local phone directory to get the traps from
Or to get services from.