![]() ![]() Incorporated into the silken case are fibers from materials the larva have fed on. The casemaking clothes moth encloses itself in an open-ended tubular case, which it drags about wherever it goes. 2: Webbing clothes moth larva (left) and fecal pellets (right). On animal (taxidermy) mounts, clumps of hair will often detach from the skin. As larvae graze along the surface, threadbare spots occur where fibers are removed at the base. They often feed within folds of fabric and other concealed areas. Webbing clothes moth larvae spin silken tubes or patches of webbing as they move about on the surface of infested materials. Development time before transforming into a moth varies greatly (from one month to as much as two years), depending on temperature, food availability, and other factors. The larval stage of clothes moths are creamy-white caterpillars up to 1/2-inch long. However, the adults lay about 40-50 pinhead-sized eggs on vulnerable substrates, which in turn, hatch into the fabric-eating larvae. Clothes moth adults do not feed so they cause no injury to fabrics. Casemaking clothes moths are similar in appearance, but have dark specks on the wings. ![]() Adult webbing clothes moths are a uniform, buff-color, with a small tuft of reddish hairs on top of the head. ![]() Two different types of clothes moths are common in North America - the webbing clothes moth ( Tineola bisselliella) and the casemaking clothes moth ( Tinea pellionella). 1: Adult webbing clothes moths (top) are sometimes mistaken for grain-infesting moths, such as the Indianmeal moth (bottom). Similar-looking moths spotted in kitchens and other well-lighted areas are possibly grain moths originating from cereals, dried fruit, nuts, or other stored foods.įig. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, basements and attics. Unlike some other types of moths, clothes moths are seldom seen because they avoid light. They are often mistaken for grain moths infesting stored food items in kitchens and pantries. They have narrow wings that are fringed with small hairs. Facts about Clothes MothsĬlothes moths are small, 1/2-inch moths that are beige or buff-colored. Serious infestations of clothes moths can develop undetected in dwellings, causing irreparable harm to vulnerable materials. (In nature, the larvae feed on the nesting materials or carcasses of birds and mammals.) Cotton and synthetic fabrics such as polyester and rayon are rarely attacked unless blended with wool, or heavily soiled with food stains or body oils. These materials contain keratin, a fibrous protein that the worm-like larvae of the clothes moth can digest. They feed exclusively on animal fibers, especially wool, fur, silk, feathers, felt, and leather. University of Kentucky College of AgricultureĬlothes moths are pests that can destroy fabric and other materials. ENTFACT-609: Clothes Moths | Download PDF by Michael F. ![]()
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