Description:
- Color: wings and body are buff/golden except for reddish hairs on top of the head. Larvae are small caterpillars that are a clear to creamy-white color with a light brown head capsule.
- Size: adults are 1/2 inch long from wing tip to wing tip; when the wings are folded, the insect is about 1/4 inch long. Larvae are 1/2 inch long when mature.
Habits of the Webbing Clothing Moth:
- Females carefully place their (40 to 50) eggs deep in the mesh of the infested fabric by attaching the eggs with a glue they secrete.
- The newly emerged larvae begin to feed immediately. They often spin silken tunnels or mats, incorporating fragments of the textile being infested and bits of feces into its construction.
- Adults have nonfunctional mouthparts and do not feed.
- Developmental time (egg to adult): 35 days to two years.
- Life span of adults: approximately two weeks.
- They seldom are seen because they avoid light.
Damage Caused by the Webbing Clothing Moth:
- Larvae feed upon clothes, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, felt, animal hair, and stored wool and especially enjoy feeding upon soiled materials.
Look for:
- Damage to various products.
- Larvae and/or their webbing.
How to Control and Kill Webbing Clothing Moths:
- Infestations should be prevented by frequent and thorough cleaning of susceptible materials.
- Rugs and furniture should also be thoroughly vacuumed to prevent infestations.
- Clothing should be stored in tightly closed containers.
- Clothing infested with webbing clothes moths should be decontaminated by dry cleaning or laundering.