Trichogramma wasps are a moth egg parasite native to eastern regions of the United States and are less than 1mm in size.
The parasite wasp is beneficial for controlling moths that can be found in homes and other building structures including food storage places such as flour mills.
The tiny female wasps who have a lifespan of fewer than two weeks, search for moth eggs by smell, and lay their eggs inside. Once the larvae of the trichogramma develop, they will consume the moth eggs before they can grow and destroy plants.
The larvae young will then cut an exit hole through the moth's egg sac and emerge in about a week into an adult that will seek out more of their prey's eggs and continue the reproduction and feeding process.
Despite their short life cycle, the female parasite can destroy up to 100 eggs and more than 200 species of moths during their lifetime.
Because the tiny parasitic wasp is often female, rather than male, they are more effective at promptly reducing the moth insect population.
In addition to consuming moths, the beneficial wasp will feed on other harmful insects such as armyworms, bagworms, alfalfa caterpillars, corn earworms, wax moths, tomato hornworms, and cabbage loopers.
The moth egg destroying insects are best at their job during the warmer seasonal months where temperatures average around 80 degrees.
We had carpet moths - I thought about using these parasitic wasps but in the end we just replaced all the carpets with synthetic ones. The moths only eat natural fibres so while this wasn't the cheapest option, it was the only one certain to work.