Clothes Moths
Photo
by Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series
Used with permission, courtesy of
www.insectimages.org
website
Clockwise starting left: egg mass,
adult, larvae on damaged fabric
Description
Clothes moths were
once more common in homes. During the 1950s and through the 1970s, wool
was treated with long lasting residual insecticides which prevented damage to
natural fibers. However, due to the phasing out of these products, organic
fabrics such as wool are once again susceptible to clothes moths. Thus Clothes
Moths are making
a reappearance.
Clothes Moths
go through complete metamorphosis: egg, larvae (crawling stage), pupae (cocoon)
and adult (moth). However, it is the larval stage that damages
fabric. Organic materials such as wool, hide, fur, etc. contain keratin, a
protein that the Clothes Moth and Carpet
Beetles, another fabric pest, can
digest.
Clothes Moth
larvae are cream colored and grow to up to 1/2" in length. All moth
larvae possess three pair of legs just behind the head, but also have a set of
short, stubby feet behind the legs called prolegs. Prolegs define the
larvae as moths (and not beetles).
The moth (adult) is
about 3/8" in length and is the wing color is evenly beige. Since
there is an Indian Meal Moth that is the same size, you may want to look at our
photo of the Indian Meal Moth to be sure that it is not that insect.
The Indian Meal Moth is a common food pest.
But because they're most active at night and are phototropic (fly toward light),
they are likely to be found in other rooms.
Where To Look for Damage
As the cycle
begins, adults (moths) lay eggs in cracks or crevices near a food source or
sometimes directly on it. When the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to feed on
the fabric, frequently eating areas that have been stained with food or beverages
or that contain body oils, sweat, or urine. This explains why carpet is
often damaged where people sit and where food particles or stains may be
found.
Also look for larvae on wool sweaters, natural bristle brushes, fur
(including pet hair) and
other organic fabrics. Clothes moths have been known to damage non organic
fabrics as well, but this is incidental to feeding on nearby organic fabrics.
Resolving a Clothes Moth Problem
An important
component in dealing with a Clothes Moth infestation is sanitation.
Sanitation refers to vacuuming to remove food sources such as pet fur or
hair which may keep the moth larvae well fed. In other cases, it may be a matter
of removing affected garments and having them dry cleaned. If you have a large number of garments, ask the cleaner about a bulk rate for
cleaning your clothes
rather than paying per article.
Moths flakes or moth
balls or cakes containing paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene may be somewhat effective as
repellents, but the odor of these products is obnoxious and may be a respiratory
irritant to some individuals. Garments may be packed with these products into tight sealing
plastic bags. However, with the newer plastic totes available that use
tight fitting lids, it is possible to shield garments from a moth
infestation without any chemical repellents.
Insecticide sprays
such as
Allpro Bug Killer Spray, the product
that we
offer, are labeled to treat
cracks and crevices for Clothes Moth larvae. You would apply this product
along the corners of clothes closets and around the edge of shelves above and
below it. You may also
wish to treat around the baseboard moldings in rooms where carpets have become
affected by Clothes Moths. In some cases, if carpet is installed over a
hardwood floor, it may be necessary to treat between the floorboards where the
larvae may hide. In addition, a total release indoor fogger such as Pro
Control Plus, may be used in a room or area to help to quickly kill
moths. You may use a vacuum cleaner to remove moths as well (be
sure to throw out the vacuum bag as a precaution, afterward).
Another option is to use
pheromone based insect glue
traps. We sell a
Pheromone Insect
Trap for Clothes Moths which is specific for that moth species.
Placing these diamond shaped traps in a room or closet with a suspected moth
problem will monitor for insects and help to capture adults. Note
that the lure is for male moths only and may not attract egg laying
females. Larvae that are active in the area may continue to do damage to organic fibers
until they pupate and then hatch as adults. This is a very
conservative approach and is the least toxic (non toxic) solution, but may not
solve a Clothing Moth problem.
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