CLOTHES MOTHS
Clothes moths are common household pests that can cause significant damage to fabrics and textiles.
These pests primarily target animal derived fibres such as wool, silk, and leather,
causing holes and destruction in clothing.
Signs of Clothes Moth Infestation
The most common sign of clothes moth infestation is the appearance of small, irregular shaped holes in clothing, particularly items made from animal derived fibres such as wool. These holes start tiny but grow larger over time as the larvae continue to feed. You might notice
silken trails, thinning fuzzy patches, or loose fibres around carpets, curtains, and upholstery edges.
You may also notice adult moths fluttering around.
Adult Case Making Cloth Moth
Woollen Jumpers Damaged by Cloth Moths
Adult Webbing Cloth Moth
What do clothes moths look like?
Cloth moths have muted, sandy coloured wings decorated with delicate patterns, often featuring small dark spots. Their bodies, measuring 6-8 mm in length and a wingspan of 12 mm, are covered in fine scales that give them a fuzzy appearance. Their most striking feature is the long antennae,
which curve backwards over their bodies. While predominantly beige or golden brown, cloth moths can exhibit various colours,
ranging from pale cream to darker tan, allowing them to blend seamlessly with fabrics and carpets. Adult cloth
moths are weak flyers and prefer to scuttle across surfaces rather than fly.
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How do clothes moths get into your house?
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Where do cloth moths come from?
Clothes moths can fly in through open windows or doors during warm months when they’re more active, especially in homes without screens to keep them out. Additionally, cloth moths, eggs, or larvae may already be present in items you bring inside. They’re often inadvertently brought inside on secondhand clothing, rugs, furniture, or textiles and hatch later without you realizing. Clothes moths can easily move from one apartment to another in a building where neighbours live nearby.
Clothes moths come from the outdoors but are most often introduced into homes through infested items that have been in storage for extended periods, particularly those stored in attics, basements, or other undisturbed areas. New infestations may originate from items purchased from secondhand or antique shops if those items had moth eggs or larvae. Moving into newly purchases homes with an existing infestation can lead to a significant cloth moths outbreak.
Cloth moth larvae
It is important to know that the larval stage of clothes moths causes damage to fabrics. The larvae have a voracious appetite for keratin-rich fibres found in animal-derived fabrics and clothing. The adult moths have a short lifespan of only two to three weeks and do not eat during this time.
The nearly undetectable larvae are responsible for the destruction of clothing. Cloth moth larvae typically measure 3-13 mm long
and have a distinctive cream to off-white colouration that helps them bland with the fabric they infest. Their soft
elongated bodies are segmented and slightly flattened with a characteristically darker
head capsule with powerful chewing mouthparts.
Webbing cloth moth larvae
Case making cloth moth larvae
Cloth moth life cycle
There are four stages in the clothes moth life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Female moths lay approximately 40-50 pinhead-sized eggs on suitable materials. These eggs hatch into fabric-eating larvae within 4 to 21 days. Depending on temperature and food availability,
they can feed for anywhere from two monthsto over two years. Cloth moths undergo multiple moults, growing and
developing within their silken cases or tubes.
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Where do you find clothes moths?
Clothes moths prefer dark, undisturbed areas with moderate humidity levels. Their favourite hiding places include wardrobes, drawers and chests, storage boxes, under furniture attics and basements.
These locations offer protection from light and human activity, making them ideal for breeding and larval development. Clothing stored for extended periods without use, such as winter wardrobes or rarely worn items, is particularly vulnerable to cloth moth infestation. Clothes moth larvae prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed areas where woollens and furs are kept for an extended time.
They are particularly drawn to soiled or stained fabrics, which often contain additional nutrients from
perspiration, food residues, or body oils.
Clothes moths cannot eat through plastic. Their larvae only consume keratin-rich animal fibres like wool, silk, feathers, leather and fur. Plastic materials do not contain the proteins they need for nourishment, and their mouthparts cannot chew through plastic containers or bags.
However, this doesn’t mean plastic storage completely protects your clothes. Moths can still enter plastic containers that aren’t correctly sealed, either through small gaps or if the container was closed with moths or eggs already inside. Very thin plastic bags might have small tears or holes that allow moths to enter.
Common clothes moths species
Two primary species of clothes moths are common in Australia, the webbing clothes moth andthe case making clothes moth. Both cloth moth species cause similar damage. What sets case making and webbing cloth moth larvae apart is their ability to spin
silk to create protective cases or webbing.
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Case making clothes moths
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Webbing clothes moths
Case making clothes moths, or Tinea pellionella, share similarities with their webbing counterparts but have some unique characteristics. They have mottled wings with dark spots, making them more speckled. The case-making moth derives its name from the portable, tube-like cases the larvae construct as shelter from fabric fibres and carry with them as they move and feed.
The webbing clothes moth, scientifically known as Tineola bisselliella, is the most prevalent fabric pest. Adult webbing clothes moths have a distinctive appearance, featuring a uniform, golden buff-coloured body lacking any distinctive patterns or markings, with a small clump of reddish hairs on the top of their head. Their wings are fringed with a row of hairs. In contrast webbing moth larvae produce silken tunnels as they feed.
Controlling Clothes Moths
Controlling a clothes moth infestation involves consistent cleaning, targeted treatments, and preventive measures. While gaining control over clothes moths may take time, persistence and vigilance will lead to the desired result. In cases of severe infestations, hiring a professional pest control service may be necessary to ensure the complete elimination of hidden larvae.
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