Fact Sheet on  Clothes Moths

email: uge1067@arches.uga.edu

Did you find holes in your winter clothes when you took them out of storage? Are there small moths flying about in your closet or clothes storage? The probable culprit is the clothes moth.

The young larvae of clothes moths are small caterpillars (may look like white to tan and less than 1/2 inch long worms.) It is the larva that does the feeding damage. Materials fed on include: wool, feathers, fur, hair, leather, lint, dust, paper, occasionally cotton, linen, silk, and synthetic fibers and especially fabric stained with beverages, urine, oil from hair, and sweat. Items made of these materials left in storage for extended periods are the most susceptible to damage. Evidence that the moth larvae are or were present is holes in the fabrics not cause by mechanical damage. Often silken cases, silken threads and fecal pellets may be found on the surface of the materials. Adult "millers" or moths are entirely harmless.

The adults are a creamy white to a yellowish brown with a wingspread of about 1/2 inch. They are not attracted to lights but prefer to stay in the dark, usually closets or storage areas. Moths fluttering around the house are most likely to be males or those of a food pest, the indian meal moth. The eggs are tiny and white. The larvae, when ready to pupate to become adults may wander away from the material seeking cracks or crevices in which to pass the pupal (non-active) stage. It may take 2 - 3 months to complete the life cycle.

Prevention

Good housekeeping are the best preventive measures. Frequent cleaning of closets, storage areas and carpets, particularly along the edges, is a must. Use a strong suction vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool to remove lint, hair, and dust from floor cracks, baseboards, air ducts, carpets, and upholstered furniture where the pest could hide. Frequent activity or use of the materials deters the pests. Launder and dry clean or steam clean clothes and other items before storage. Egg-laying clothes moths are attracted to soiled articles.

Control

Cedar-lined chests and closets are not 100 percent effective. The oils need to be replenished every couple of years and the closet or chest must be tightly sealed to be effective.

Mothballs or flakes (naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, PDB) are a registered pesticide that is often used in sealed containers. They are also a leading cause of accidental household poisonings among children. Because mothballs are a registered pesticide it is illegal to use them for purposes other than those on the label.

When an infestation is found it is necessary to find the source and thoroughly clean it up. It may require disposing of the infested material. Pesticides may be used, according to label instructions. Never use pesticides directly on clothing, it may damage the material or lead to a pesticide poisoning. Call the Extension Service if you have questions. Request the Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetle Fabric Insects, Leaflet # 412 and/or Home Insect Control, Bulletin #1002. You may want to contract with a pest control professional, especially if the infestation involves expensive carpets or furniture.

The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability.

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