Fabric
pests such as clothes moths and carpet
beetles damage clothing, carpets, furs,
cotton, and any other animal-derived
material by eating them. They eat these
natural fabrics because of keratin,
which is a mineral found in hooves,
feathers, and horns. Just as the termite
digests cellulose from wood to sustain
his (or her) life, the clothes moth
digests keratin to sustain his (or
hers). This dietary need, coupled with
our unbridled use of animal parts for
clothing, contributes to the vast damage
sustained by these insects annually.
Following are brief overviews of the
major categories of fabric moths.
The clothes moth group includes the
webbing clothes moth, the casemaking
clothes moth, and the tapestry or carpet
moth. They are known as small moths,
since their wingspan is less than 1/2."
Also, their habits differ from other
moths, as they are not attracted to
light and prefer dark areas.
These moths go through a complete
metamorphosis. Since adults are unable
to eat, it is in the larval phase, or
caterpillar phase, that all moths cause
damage. The clothes moth caterpillars
are especially fond of fabrics that have
stains, spills, or human products, such
as hair or sweat, on them.
Webbing clothes moths
are the most
common fabric moth in the U.S. and are
found in all 50 states. The body and
wings of adults are uniformly buff in
color and their heads have slightly
reddish hairs on top. Their wings are
silvery-brown and have a wingspan of
less than 1/2". Females cannot fly very
well while males can; however, they
seldom take advantage of their flying
capabilities.
Females have the ability to mate and lay
eggs on the same day that they emerge
from their cocoon. Consequently, they do
not live for very long, 30 days being
the longest. After eggs are laid in
batches of 40 to 50, they hatch within 4
to 10 days, provided it is not too cold.
The emerging larvae are cream-colored
and no more than 1/2" long. The larvae
may go through 5 to 45 molts depending
on variables such as humidity,
temperature, and availability of food.
The molting process can last from 30 to
700 days. After it is completed, the
caterpillar will spin a cocoon. Cocoons
are not very visible because the
caterpillars camouflage them with
clothing particles or excrement. Cocoon
emergence is followed by the pupal
stage, which last 8 to 40 days. Upon
completion of this process, the moth is
matured.
The webbing clothes moth is found
everywhere in the United States during
all seasons. However, they are more
prevalent in the summer and in non-arid
climates.
The casemaking moth is not nearly as
prevalent as the webbing moth, but it is
a significant pest. Its appearance is
slightly darker than that of the webbing
moth and its wingspan is shorter.
Although the life cycle of the
casemaking moth is similar to the
webbing moth, there are some slight
differences. For instance, they do not
spin their webs on fabric and rarely do
extensive damage to a small area. The
casemaking moth prefers to more movement
and feed over a wide area.
When ready to pupate, the larva draws
itself completely within its case, seals
both ends of the case with silk, and
pupates in its cocoon. In the northern
Unites States, pupae are usually the
only casemaking moth stage found during
the winter months, but all stages are
found in the South throughout the year.
The casemaking moth is especially fond
of feathers and down, although they find
other natural materials suitable as
well.
Carpet moths are rarely encountered.
When they are encountered, it is due to
severe infestation. This species can be
distinguished from the preceding species
by the front third of the forewing being
black and the rest being white with
black spots. Also, its wingspan is
larger than those of casemaking and
webbing moths. The life cycle of the
carpet moth is very similar to the life
cycles of other fabric moths described
previously. The one difference is that
the larval stage constructs a silken
tube (as opposed to cocoon) in which to
feed as it burrows into fabric.
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