What moth is this

Question: Hi,  We have been seeing small moths inside our house for a few months.  We initially thought they were pantry moths.  However, the traps we bought with pheromone do not work on them.  They are easily killed (do not move quickly).  However, there are always more moths.  We usually see 1-2 per day.  I have attached a picture.  Grateful if you can confirm what type of moth this is and how we can get rid of them.  Thank you.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied February 16, 2023, 1:17 PM EST
response: Hello Steve, You have observed the species Taygete decemmaculella, a type of twirler moth. You are correct that they are not pantry moths, nor are they a threat to any dried food goods or other items in your house. The adults most likely made their way into your home in search of a warm place to overwinter. Insects usually invade homes for winter through unsealed cracks around walls, windows and doorways. Your observation that they do not move quickly is consistent with my hypothesis that they are attempting to overwinter, because overwintering insects enter a state similar to torpor during this time of dormancy.  Besides sealing the cracks which serve as entry points, I recommend vacuuming the affected areas frequently. All of the moths probably entered during late fall, and are trickling out of their harborage (which is why you are consistently seeing a few). If you are able to locate their harborage within your home, you could do a targeted application of insecticide.

responder: The Question Asker Replied February 19, 2023, 1:53 PM EST
response: Hi there, Thank you so much for your answer.  I have a few follow-up questions if you don't mind.  1.  Almost all of these twirler moths are found in two bathrooms.  So traditional vacuuming is not possible but we can scrub the floors if that will help.  2.  Harborage and insecticide.  Within the bathrooms I can only think harborage may exist within the water heating baseboards or ceiling fan area.  Would kind of insecticide do you recommend using in this instance?  FYI- have attached another photo of the moths. Thank you again.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied February 21, 2023, 2:24 PM EST
response: Hi again Steven, It's always a pleasure to help! I recommended vacuuming because I assumed the area was carpeted which would obscure the moths crawling across it. If it's tile or paneling, then the moths would probably be easier to see, negating the need to vacuum. No need to scrub the floors for the moths, just grab them when you see them. I recommend a pyrtherin aerosol or liquid spray. Concentrations of 0.1%-0.25% will be effective (check label instructions on container). You can use Suspend SC, Tempo SC, Ortho home Defense, Demand CS and Dragnet FT. These pyrethrins are broad-spectrum so they'll work against the moths and they have good residual activity. There are plenty of other broad spectrum-insecticides designed for in-home use available at local retailers. Sevin is an example of a non-pyrethrin alternative, but it has an inferior residual activity.  The greatest obstacle to achieving control in this situation is locating their harborage. the areas you've mentioned for treatment seem like a good start. If they're persisting after treatment, try investigating other areas as a possible harborages. I advise caution around treating the ceiling fan area; while the insecticides I recommended have a relatively low human toxicity and are designed for in-home use, I worry that the movement of the ceiling fan would disperse the insecticide into the air you're breathing and the surfaces you're in contact with.  As a preventative measure, try and locate and cracks around doorways/windows/walls and in the house in general. This will prevent entry of additional moths this coming fall, with the added benefit of excluding other types of insects with the same house-seeking behavior (e.g. stink bugs, seed bugs).

responder: The Question Asker Replied February 25, 2023, 2:14 PM EST
response: Ok thank you!