Types of clothes moths uk. Clothes moths go through four distinct lifecycle periods with significant change at each stage. There are burnet moths with black and red wings tiger moths with beautiful bold patterns and hawk moths that can be as large as your hand. There are over 160000 recorded species of moths across the globe with around 11000 of these being found in the united states and around 2500 being found in the united kingdom. With around 2500 species of moth in the uk theres an amazing amount of diversity to be discovered.
Even the moths that are brown have intricate patterns and incredible camouflage. Understanding the clothes moths life cycle is key to knowing how to best deal with moth problems in the home in both eradicating and repelling these destructive domestic pests. Air your wardrobe regularly to prevent warm damp or musty conditions building up which clothes. Understanding clothes moth infestations.
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. The specific name is commonly misspelled biselliella for example by g. The larva as its vernacular name suggests feeds on woollen clothing upholstery and carpets as well as other animal based material such as hair or fur. The clothes moth life cycle.
It lives in a silken tube and when gregarious this can develop into a dense matting. But its actually the larvae not the moths which cause the damage. Keep your wardrobe well ventilated. However four species of moths in particular can cause problems in your home or business.
The romans were probably responsible for the spread of pests to europe as they expanded their empire evidence of infestations of wool by clothes moths exists in roman archaeological material. Clothes moths are often confused with indian meal moths but the two are actually very different primarily in the materials on which they feed and the places they are foundindian meal moths are pantry pests while clothes mothsas their name indicatesfeed on fabrics. The moths are more or less continuously brooded except during the winter months. Clothes moths are attracted to perspiration and food stains.
The common clothes moth tineola bisselliella has been blamed for munching its way into homes across britain. Moths are flying insects in the order of lepidoptera which is also the same order to which butterflies belong. Herrich schaeffer when he established tineola.