Pheromone trap comparison: what caught moths in my closet
I tested five brands of pheromone traps side by side. Here's what actually worked and what was a waste of money.
I ran five different pheromone trap brands in my apartment for twelve weeks. Same closet, same moth pressure, same placement protocol. Here is what I found.
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Photo: Five trap brands mounted in test closet at low and mid-height positions
What I tested
Five commercially available clothes moth pheromone traps, purchased retail:
- Brand A (blue triangle design, sold at hardware stores)
- Brand B (white sticky panel, Amazon's choice)
- Brand C (museum-grade lure, conservation supplier)
- Brand D (cedar-scented sticky trap, natural products store)
- Brand E (budget pack of 6, big box retailer)
Cost ranged from $8 to $22 per trap. I tested two of each brand to account for variation.
How I tested
Setup
- Placed traps in pairs, one low (18 inches) and one mid-height (48 inches) inside the same closet
- Rotated positions weekly to eliminate placement bias
- Checked and photographed traps every 7 days
- Recorded male moth captures, dust accumulation, and adhesive performance
Duration Twelve weeks, March through May. Peak clothes moth season in NYC.
Controls
- Same closet zone with consistent wool and cashmere storage
- No other moth control measures during test period
- Temperature and humidity logged with a cheap sensor
Photo: Close-up of trap with capture data showing moth counts and dust accumulation
What worked
Brand A consistently out-performed everything else. Average 8.3 captures per trap over 12 weeks. Adhesive stayed sticky even in humid conditions. Triangle design made male moths visible from across the room. Lure lasted the full manufacturer claim (8 weeks) before drop-off.
Brand B was second. Average 6.1 captures. Flat panel design was easier to store but harder to see from a distance. Adhesive quality was good. Lure effective but shorter duration than Brand A (6 weeks before noticeable decline).
Brand C surprised me. The "museum grade" lure pulled only 4.2 captures on average. It is possible my apartment conditions differ from climate-controlled museum environments. Or the lure chemistry is optimized for webbing clothes moth, not casemaking. I did not identify species.
| Item | Result | Notes |
|---|
How I use them now
I buy Brand A for primary monitoring. I place one trap low in each closet zone where I store wool. I check weekly and replace every 8 weeks or when the adhesive fills up, whichever comes first.
I keep Brand B as backup. If I run out of Brand A or need a flat trap to slip behind a dresser, Brand B works fine. The performance difference is not huge.
I do not buy Brand C, D, or E anymore.
Alternatives if you have pets or kids
Pheromone traps are non-toxic and pet-safe. The only risk is the sticky adhesive. If a curious pet or toddler touches a trap, the adhesive is annoying but not dangerous.
Placement strategies for households with kids or pets:
- Mount traps inside closets on the back wall, not near the door
- Use higher placement (above pet reach but still effective for moths)
- Skip floor-level traps if you have a dog or crawling baby
- Check traps more often to remove them once they fill up
The sticky surface is the same stuff used in mouse glue traps. If a pet gets stuck, cooking oil or peanut butter dissolves the adhesive. Then wash with dish soap.
Bottom line
If you are buying your first traps, start with Brand A. Two traps per closet zone is enough. Place them inside the closet near wool storage, not at the door or window. Check weekly. Replace every 8 weeks.
If Brand A is out of stock or you want to save a few dollars, Brand B is fine. The performance gap is real but not massive.
Skip Brand D entirely. Brand E is tempting because it is cheap, but the inconsistency makes it unreliable for monitoring. You need accurate counts to know if your treatment is working.