Moths are one of the most common pests you’ll find in Vancouver BC! These varmints like to nest in dark places, however they are also quite attracted to light. So, if you switch on the lights in your living room and see something flickering nearby, odds are pretty high it’s a moth.

The most common moths you’ll find specifically in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, and Burnaby areas are clothes moths, meal moths, gypsy moths (their original caterpillar forms are pretty familiar—they’re the fuzzy orange ones that can leave behind really gross stains and smell if you squish them!), saturn moths, and ceanothus silk moths, to name only a few—many of which are confused with butterflies. Some moths can even outshine our butterfly friends in terms of their wing colours!

Moths are considered to be a mysterious yet little understood insect. The experience of meeting one is also very different—everyone goes ooh and ah about a butterfly, but runs away or cowers in fear from the moth!

It might be for good reason too. Moths outside are fine as they can help pollinate like butterflies, but inside they can be annoying varmints. Gypsy moths and caterpillars in particular tend to eat the most important trees and plants that contribute to our province’s agriculture and ecosystem. Compared to most other moths, gypsy moths are the most invasive of the species.

Look for trees with massive amounts of cobwebbed branches and leaves containing big, prominent lumps. These are signs that a tree has been infested with gypsy moth cocoons and caterpillars. If this looks like your tree in the backyard, call your local Pest Boss and we’ll eradicate this invasive species from bringing harm to your yard and home or building. We’ll get you, varmints!