Silver Fish and Moths

New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 776, 4 June 1954, Page 22

Silver Fish and Moths

Dear Aunt Daisy, My problem is silver fish and moths. About March of last year we laid a new carpet in the hall. When spring cleaning I found the under-felt was invaded with moth-grubs, and one corner of the carpet itself where it went under a support was eaten. We removed carpets and felt to the sunshine, washed the floorboards well and sprayed well with an insecticide solution, also a fly-killer. After this we noticed dozens of silver fish dead and dying in the corners and sides of the hall. We laid newspapers down, then under-felt, more paper, then the carpet. I have lived in my present house for

(continued from previous page) twenty years, and I have never seen so many silver fish before. They are in the kitchen cupboards, the safe, and anything left uncovered, cereals, etc., they invade; also milk in the safe. We also seem to have a number of cockroaches which invade our food. They are worse than I have ever seen them. We had a lot of wet weather in the West Coast last year and I wonder if this is the cause of these insects becoming such a pest. I should be very grateful if you can give me some help through The Listener. "Moths," Ross, Westland. I certainly do sympathise with youyou seem to have done everything possible to get rid of the pests. Why not apply to the Health Department, so that they can send an officer to properly fumigate before the next batch of motheggs can hatch Sprinkling the haunts of cockroaches with chloride of lime is said to be good; as well as 10 per cent DDT powder, which also helps against moths. Another spray for carpets is made by well mixing 4 oz. pytethrum powder in a quart of kerosene, leaving it for about 8 hours, strain, and then add 4 oz. of oil of wintergreen from the chemist. But I do think you need ap expert from the Health Department in your case.