Type of moths that eat clothing. Both types of moths eat natural fibers found in clothing carpet drapes upholstery and bedding. Tineola bisselliella known as the common clothes moth webbing clothes moth or simply clothing moth is a species of fungus moth family tineidae subfamily tineinaeit is the type species of its genus tineola and was first described by arvid david hummel in 1823. Step 1 identify the clothes moth. They then begin to eat the fibres in the material which causes holes in clothes or loss of pile in patches on carpets.
Clothes moths and pantry moths can be a real pest when they start eating your woollens and getting into your flour. When those eggs hatch the larvae or caterpillars of the moths devour clothing. Instead it is the voracious appetite of the moth larvae doing the feeding. The clothes moth larvae are easy to identify since they are bright white with a darker head oh that and you are literally watching them eat your clothes.
Like his relative this type of moth does not like light and is rarely seen unless it is disturbed. If they run out of clothing fibers moths will even eat pet fur or chomp through synthetic materials to burrow into natural fibers underneath. They are commonly found around the home and even canberras parliament house. The larvae that hatch from the eggs of clothes moths spin silk webbing into a tunnel across the attacked material.
Theyll eat wool silk cotton and any other natural fiber they can find. There are plenty of things in our homes for clothes moth larvae to feast on. The tineola bisselliella or clothes moths and the tinea pellionella or casemaking clothes moth are two such species. The specific name is commonly misspelled biselliella for example by g.
Herrich schaeffer when he established tineola. There are only two types of moth larvae that have the ability to digest the fibers that clothing is made from. A weak flier it seldom leaves dark areas. The webbing clothes moth tineola bissellielle is a small pale gold moth with a wingspan of about 12 inch.
Moths are destructive no doubt but they dont actually eat your clothestheir babies do. Brown house moths and white shouldered moths are less common but potentially equally damaging. According to blake newton an extension entomologist at the university of kentucky moths lay eggs on fabrics caterpillars hatch from those eggs and then the caterpillars munch on the clothing. A weak flier it seldom leaves dark areas.
Adult moths lack the mouthparts needed to eat your clothing lint. Adult moths are no danger to wool cashmere or mohair clothes but the larvae can be detrimental as they feed and cut holes in clothes. Moths themselves do not eat clothing. The webbing clothes moth is prolific across the us and is the most likely clothes moth you will find followed by the case bearing clothes moth which will attack carpets and clothes.