Our parents and grandparents always used to keep clothes and bedding (and almost anything else that went into long term storage) put away in boxes and on shelves all folded up with special chemical mothballs to keep pesky insects at bay. The expression ‘mothballed’ comes from this practice of carefully racking something away and not expecting to want it again for a long time. The mothballs did keep the moths away, but there was a downside. They made everything smell quite sharply and the balls themselves were toxic. That’s one reason you don’t see them around much any more.

Most moths are completely blameless and have no interest in eating fabrics at all. It’s only a couple of species out of hundreds that you need to watch out for, so there’s no need to worry if you see moths flitting around your outdoor lighting or even if they get into the garage that holds your storage units. The bothersome ones are usually very small, less than half an inch in length and about as slim as a pencil lead. Even then, there are many harmless species that fit the description.

Sometimes moths can be a problem but there is no usually need to resort to chemical means to keep these critters out of your belongings. Simply racking your goods in plastic boxes or wrapped in plastic bags will keep them safe from moths. Storage in plastic boxes or bags also keeps things clean and a little more tidy.