Back to PEST page

Clothes Moth

Clothes moths can become a serious fabric pest in the home because their larvae feed only on materials such as wool, silk, hair, bristles, feathers and fur. You can keep them from becoming pests in your home by knowing where to look for them, how to recognize them, and what actions to take to protect your belongings from them. Two species of clothes moths are of primary importance in homes: the case-making clothes moth and the webbing clothes moth. Adults of both species are buff-colored with few distinguishing marks and look very much alike. They do not feed and are not attracted to light. Female moths lay from 100 to 150 small, pinhead-sized, white eggs which hatch in about five days. Full-grown larvae are about one third of an inch long. Larvae stage varies from six weeks to several years. Larvae of the case-making clothes moths live in silken cases which they drag with them. As the larva grows, so does the case, until finally the case is converted into a tough cocoon in which the pupa develops. The moth emerges in one to four weeks. Clothes moth larvae feed on wool, wool blends, feathers, fur hair, dry milk powder, leather and other animal products and sometimes on lint, dust or paper. Clothes moth larvae do not wander like carpet beetle larvae so look for them on materials on which they feed.

Indian Meal Moth

The Indian meal moth is a very common insect pest in Virginia found in stored food products within the home and in stored grain on farms and at elevators. In the home, Indian meal moth larvae (or caterpillars) feed on any grain or grain product (flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, grits, etc.), seeds (including bird seed and dried beans), nuts, chocolate, dried fruit (such as raisins), and so forth. These larvae often leave their food supply when they are ready to spin their cocoons and they may wander about in search of a suitable place to pupate. They are frequently found in unsuspected places because of this wandering behavior.

Control of any stored food pest requires locating and eliminating infested item(s). All potentially infested foods should be checked. The insects may be in unopened boxes or containers. Infested items can be thrown away or salvaged by freezing for 1 week or heating in a 140 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Insecticide sprays are not recommended for controlling insects in stored food cupboards. Washing shelves with detergent, bleach, ammonia or disinfectants will not have any effect on insect pests. As a precaution against reinfestation, you may want to store susceptible foods in sealable glass, metal or heavy plastic containers or in the refrigerator or freezer until you are convinced the infestation is gone.

Mediterranean Meal Moth

The Mediterranean Meal Moth can be found in many foods in addition to flour, grain residues, broken kernels and various whole grains. Although this insect is not as serious a pest as the Indian meal moth and some of the grain infesting beetles, it still causes clogging of machinery with its webbing, and at times causes grain mill shut-downs.

The adult moth has a wingspread of nearly one inch. The forewings are a pale gray with transverse wavy black markings (not prominent). When resting, the wings are held to the body, but the head and tip of the abdomen are characteristically slightly raised. Development and damage is similar to the Indian meal moth, except the larvae live and feed in small silken tubes they spin. Although flour is the favorite food, grains, bran, breakfast foods and pollen in beehives are also attacked. The life cycle takes about 10 weeks. The webbing and matting of the larvae often cause the greatest amount of damage by this insect, whether it is contaminating foods in the home or clogging industrial machinery.

Back to PEST page