Insect · Moderate risk
Clothes Moth
The clothes moth is a small golden-beige moth that does not eat: it is the larvae that devour wool, cashmere and fur. Discreet and nocturnal, it works for months inside a closet before you notice the first holes.
6-8 mm · Plain, glossy golden beige
§1Distinctive features
How to identify it
Small moth 6 to 8 mm long with a 12 to 16 mm wingspan, uniform glossy golden beige with no spots or patterns, and a small tuft of reddish hairs on the head. It flies poorly, in short jerky hops, and avoids light. The larva is a creamy white worm about 10 mm long with a brown head.
§2Habitat
Where to find it
Closets, drawers, storage bins and basements: anywhere wool textiles sit untouched. It targets clothes stored dirty, carpets under furniture, coat linings and piano felt.
§3Reproduction
Lifecycle
Without intervention, each female lays 40 to 50 eggs and the larvae move from one garment to the next for months.
§4What to look out for
Signs of infestation
- Wool, cashmere or fur riddled with irregular holes
- Small webs and silky tubes stuck to fabrics
- Beige moths that flutter out when you open the closet
- Fine, grainy dust at the bottom of drawers
§5Why act fast
Risks
- Irreversible destruction of wool and valuable garments
- Damage to carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture
- Silent spread from one closet to the next
§6Prevention
How to avoid it
- Wash or dry-clean textiles before storing them
- Store wool in airtight bags or bins
- Vacuum under furniture and in closet corners
- Freeze suspect items one week at -20 °C, in a sealed bag, before storing them
§7Pro method
How MW works
Inspection
Inspection of closets, drawers, carpets and storage to locate the larval hotspots.
Preparation
Customized plan · emptying and washing of affected textiles before the visit.
Treatment
Targeted treatment of wardrobes, baseboards and storage to reach the larvae and break the cycle.
Follow-up
Control visit · written guarantee offered depending on the treatment chosen.
§8Your questions answered
Frequently asked questions
Does the clothes moth bite?
How do I tell a clothes moth from a pantry moth?
Should I use mothballs?
A clothes moth problem is not solved with a mothball: as long as larvae remain in a fold of wool or under a carpet, the infestation starts again. We treat the whole storage area, not just the holed garment, in the older homes of Saint-Lambert as well as the apartment buildings of Longueuil, in Sherbrooke and in Granby, as part of our pest control service.
Sources used for this fact sheet: Canadian Conservation Institute, insect pests · Canadian Conservation Institute, controlling insects by low temperature · CICRP, Tineola bisselliella · UC IPM, Clothes Moths.
React quickly, sleep well.
The longer the infestation lasts, the more expensive it becomes.