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How to identify it
- Adults are gold with reddish-golden hairs on top of the head and a fringe of golden hairs on the wings; about 1/4 inch long at rest with a 1/2-inch wingspan.[1]
- The University of Kentucky (UK) describes the adult as a uniform buff color with narrow, fringed wings and a small tuft of reddish hairs on the head; the casemaking clothes moth has dark specks on its wings instead.[4][5]
- Weak fliers that aren't attracted to lights and flutter near the infested items rather than flying steadily across rooms.[1][4][5]
- Larvae are shiny white with a dark head and spin silk feeding tubes and patches mixed with fibers and droppings.[1][4]
- UK gives full-grown larvae as up to 1/2 inch long; Clemson says about 1/3 inch.[4][5]
- Signs to look for: silk tubes or mats with fibers and droppings worked in, grazed or threadbare spots, and on furs or mounts, hairs clipped at the base so tufts pull loose. The droppings can carry the fabric's dye and match its color.[1][4]
Look-alikes
| Look-alike | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Casemaking clothes moth | Browner wings with faint dark spots; larvae always carry a portable silk case.[1] |
| Indianmeal moth | About twice as long at rest, with two-toned wings, and flies around kitchens rather than closets.[1][2][4] |
| Carpet beetles | Their larvae eat the same animal fibers, so UK cautions that damage blamed on moths may be theirs. Carpet beetle larvae are bristly and leave shell-like cast skins with no webbing.[4][6] |
Where it lives
Indoors in dark, undisturbed places: closets with woolens and furs, under heavy furniture, along baseboards, and in vents and heaters where hair and lint collect.[1]
Biology and life cycle
Females lay about 40 to 50 eggs over 2 to 3 weeks, glued to fabric threads; eggs hatch in 4 to 10 days in warm weather.[1][4]
Clemson's fact sheet gives higher figures for clothes moths: 100 to 150 eggs that usually hatch in about five days.[5]
The larval stage lasts from 35 days to 2 1/2 years depending on temperature and food; there are usually two generations a year.[1]
UK puts development at one month to about two years, depending on temperature and food. Heated buildings let the moths keep developing through winter.[4][1]
Females die once they finish laying eggs; males live longer and keep mating. Adults don't feed.[1][4]
Webbing clothes moth larvae pupate inside a silk cocoon, usually right on the fabric.[1]
In nature the larvae feed on the nest material and carcasses of birds and mammals, and indoor infestations can start from an old nest in an attic, chimney or wall cavity.[4]
Damage and signs
- Larvae feed on wool clothing, carpets, upholstery, furs, felt and natural bristles, and on blends that contain wool; damage tends to hide under collars and cuffs and beneath furniture.[1][4]
- Fabrics with food, perspiration or urine stains are more likely to be damaged.[1][4]
- Garments and blankets in regular use are seldom infested, and neither are rugs with normal foot traffic. Edges and undersides of rugs, sections under furniture, and upholstered furniture inside and out are at higher risk.[4]
- Rugs and furnishings made entirely of synthetic fibers, including most wall-to-wall carpeting, aren't affected, according to UC IPM.[1]
Health risk
Clothes moths are a fabric pest; the concern is damage to wool, fur and other animal fibers.[1][4]
Control
Prevention
Store clean items in airtight containers; cedar's effect is limited and fades over years.[1][4][5]
Mothballs, flakes and crystals work only sealed with the clothes in an airtight container. NPIC says they have little or no effect as repellents, and UK warns never to scatter them in open closets where children or pets can reach them.[1][4][7]
Sanitation
Vacuum closets, baseboards, cracks and under furniture and dispose of the contents promptly; brush and sun-air stored woolens, especially seams and folds.[1][4][5]
Track down every infested item. UK suggests checking a wool scarf or felt hat at the back of a closet, a rug stored in the basement, upholstered furniture, and heat ducts or floor vents that collect pet hair and lint; check seams, folds, cuffs and collars closely.[4]
Traps and physical control
Washing for 20 to 30 minutes in water at least 120°F kills all stages; dry clean items that can't take hot water. Freezing items in a sealed bag below 18°F for several days also works.[1][4]
Freezing times differ by source. UC IPM says several days below 18°F; UK says at least a week at 0°F, or 72 hours in a freezer that reaches -20°F; Clemson suggests a week in the freezer for items that can't be cleaned or thrown out.[1][4][5]
Clothes moth pheromone traps detect infestations and catch males; traps for pantry moths won't attract clothes moths.[1][4]
Pesticides
Sources disagree on spraying fabric. UC IPM says most pyrethrin products labeled for clothes moths can go directly on items that can't be cleaned, frozen or heated (test for staining first). UK and Clemson say not to treat clothing, bedding or fabric at all and to limit sprays to cracks, carpet edges and closet floors.[1][4][5]
Common questions
- Do cedar closets stop clothes moths?
- Not reliably. Cedar oil kills only small larvae and loses its effect after several years; an airtight container matters more.[1][4]
- Why do I never see the moths?
- They avoid light and stay near the infested items, so damage is often found before the moths.[1][4]
- Is it clothes moths or carpet beetles?
- Look for silk. Webbing clothes moth larvae leave silk tubes and webbing; carpet beetle larvae leave bristly cast skins and no webbing. Both eat the same materials, so the damage alone can mislead.[1][6][4]
Sources
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Clothes Moths, Publication 7435 (March 2013).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnclothesmoths.pdf (accessed 2026-11-11)
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Pantry Pests, Publication 7452 (March 2013).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnpantrypests.pdf (accessed 2026-11-11)
- iNaturalist, “Tineola bisselliella taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/232606 (accessed 2026-11-11)
- University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-609: Clothes Moths.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef609 (accessed 2026-11-11)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center, “Fabric Pest Control (HGIC 2416).” hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/controlling-fabric-pests/ (accessed 2026-11-11)
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Carpet Beetles, Publication 7436 (revised April 2020).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pncarpetbeetles.pdf (accessed 2026-11-11)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “Mothballs: Frequently Asked Questions.” npic.orst.edu/faq/mothball.html (accessed 2026-11-11)