Can Insecticide Remove Moth Cocoons from My Room?

[seazal]

I have dozens of this in my room.

It's about 0.4" (10mm) long. I guess these are moth cocoons. The insect left them behind and looked like flying moths.

How many kind of moths are there, and how does insecticide exactly get rid of them? Does it work on their lungs or the blood stream? Just want to make sure it won't affect humans when I use it.

Thanks.

 

[phyzguy]

Insects are tough. I don't think we know of any chemicals that will kill them and at the same time are harmless to humans. Mothballs are made of paradichlorobenzene. I think it kills them by being absorbed into their bloodstream. It is considered toxic to humans and is listed as a possible carcinogen. Usually what you do is fumigate the room when you aren't present, then air it out before you return.

 

[BillTre]

Insects don't have lungs.
They use other structures for gas exchange, usually trachea.
Some aquatic insects have gill like things.

There are insecticides that work by interfering with molting hormones (such as juvenile hormone or ecdysone).
An emergence from a pupa is a modified molting event, so that to be effected by those kinds of drugs.

You might consider talking with an insect control person.
In town here (Eugene, Oregon), we have a guy who uses largely non-toxic means to got rid of insects. We used him to deal with roaches in fish labs (in a biology building), where you don't want to be throwing around insecticides that might mess with study subjects (animals of various kinds).

 

[seazal]

I have dozens of this in my room.

It's about 0.4" (10mm) long. I guess these are moth cocoons. The insect left them behind and looked like flying moths.

How many kind of moths are there, and how does insecticide exactly get rid of them? Does it work on their lungs or the blood stream? Just want to make sure it won't affect humans when I use it.

Thanks.

Forgot to post the photo I took. Is this a moth cocoon?

 

[seazal]

Forgot to post the photo I took. Is this a moth cocoon?

View attachment 236008

 

[BillTre]

Looks like a cocoon, but not easy to tell for sure.
Is it an empty shell with a hole at one end?
Alternatively, it might be a cocoon for a non-moth insect.

 

[seazal]

Looks like a cocoon, but not easy to tell for sure.
Is it an empty shell with a hole at one end?
Alternatively, it might be a cocoon for a non-moth insect.

Yes. An empty shell with a hole at one end. It's left there for weeks after the moth escapes (or born? reborn?)

I tried to zap the cocoons with a taser (see below) but the moth inside couldn't seem to be affected. The cocoon can shield the moth from the zapper spark?

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1...-img...35i39.vtV4k227xjM#imgrc=_j58C7_M60vXsM:

 

[BillTre]

escapes (or born? reborn?)

Emerged is usually used.

I tried to zap the cocoons with a taser (see below) but the moth inside couldn't seem to be affected. The cocoon can shield the moth from the zapper spark?

The cocoon covering may insulate, but the inside would be highly conductive.
If the taser is only affecting nerve and muscle function, it may not affect some stages of the cocoon since the muscles and many nerves are being broken down and rebuilt.
This is assuming the taser is not going to just fry the pupa's tissues.

 

[Lord Jestocost]

Forgot to post the photo I took. Is this a moth cocoon?

The cocoons remind of that of the species Phereoeca uterella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phereoeca_uterella

 

[pinball1970]

View attachment 236009

You got a decent hoover with a nozzle?