The webbing cloth moth is the most common moth found in closets. These moths have golden wings and bodies. Their bodies are only ¼ inches in length with a wingspan of ½ an inch. Another characteristic is they have small reddish-golden hairs on the top of their heads. These moths feed on a variety of fabrics and cloths. Some of their favorite materials include; wool, cotton, furs, upholstered furniture, carpet, and rugs underneath furniture.

It’s a misunderstanding that the adult moths are what is damaging the clothing or furniture. Damage occurs during the larval stage. They feed on the clothing items and also use the fabrics to make their pupal cases or cocoons. Their favorite places to feed are the darkest areas in the room. They hate light so the most common areas to find the damage are underneath furniture, collars, and cuffs of shirts.

The larvae are shiny white. Their heads are dark colored. Female moths can lay between 40-50 eggs and then die shortly after laying. The eggs take 4-10 days to hatch depending on how warm the temperatures are. When the larvae hatch, they can stay in this stage for 35 days up to 2 ½ years! This cycle depends on the temperature inside and the food source they are feeding on.

To inspect for cloth moth activity; look for silken tubes. These tubes are often hidden in the darkest areas of the room or closet. The tubes are cigar-shaped and ⅜ inches in length. The tubes are also made out of the material they were feeding or chewing on. Look under collars, mats, or patches of the material. If it’s a cloth or wool material look for holes or signs of surface grazing. If it’s a fur material, look for any clipped hairs. To track activity it’s a good idea to keep pheromone traps inside infested closets or rooms. These pheromone traps will not exterminate the entire population but will tell you if an infestation is taking place.

The best solutions in preventing a cloth moth infestation include; dry cleaning, vacuum sealing clothing items, brushing and vacuuming, hanging items in the sun periodically, using humidifiers, or using pesticides. Pesticides should only be used if the infestation has gotten past the point of control. The #1 solution in solving a cloth moth infestation would be to remove and throw away all the contaminated items immediately!

Chloe, D H. “How to Manage Pests.” The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program, UC ANR Publication, Mar. 2013, ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7435.html.

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