Bay leaves keep cupboard moths out!

I had to share this tip with you! 

For the first time in my life I've been plagued with cupboard moths in my grocery cupboard.  It might have had something to do with the extreme heat and humidity we've experienced this summer, or they might have come in with groceries packaged in cardboard (like the pasta I bought).  I will never know.

What I do know is that I would open the grocery cupboard door to find tiny little moths fluttering about.  Then I began to find them 'nesting'.  As I wouldn't use insecticide I landed up cleaning out the entire cupboard and washing absolutely everything.  I threw out a LOT of groceries packaged in cardboard too.  All the shelves were wiped off and everything was packed back in plastic containers.

It took me ages and cost me a fortune!  I hate throwing food away when there are so many starving people in this world...

Yesterday I happened to overhear something on a cooking channel that really caught my interest.  Bay leaves exude a natural oil that moths dislike.  I never knew that!  My cupboards are now strewn with dried bay leaves.  They smell really good.
 

April Blackbird.