Photo: Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City Pest Identification
Tineola bisselliella (webbing clothes moth)Clothes Moth Identification
A small, uniform golden-tan moth whose larvae eat wool, fur, feathers, and silk. Rarely seen flying (they avoid light), so damage to stored clothing is often the first sign.
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How to Identify It
Small, plain golden-buff colored moth with no distinct pattern, holds wings tightly against the body at rest, and avoids light — you're more likely to find it in a dark closet than flying around a room. Larvae spin silk tubes or patches on the fabric they're feeding on.
Size: 6–8 mm
Commonly Confused With
Indian meal moths (two-tone wing coloring, feed on food not fabric) and carpet beetle larvae (also damage wool, but are a beetle, not a moth — bristly rather than caterpillar-smooth).
Why It Shows Up
Adults are drawn to natural animal fibers — wool, fur, feathers, silk — for egg-laying, especially soiled items with body oils or food residue, in dark, undisturbed storage.
Where Homeowners Find It
Wool coats and sweaters, fur items, feather pillows and down bedding, wool rugs, and upholstered furniture stuffed with natural fiber, especially in dark closets and storage boxes.
Seasonal Activity in KC
Year-round indoors in undisturbed storage.
Risk Level
Fabric and textile damage only — irregular holes in wool and fur items, sometimes significant before it's discovered since infestations happen in the dark, undisturbed.
What You Can Do Yourself
- • Dry-clean or thoroughly launder wool and natural-fiber items before long-term storage — this kills eggs and larvae.
- • Store vulnerable items in sealed containers rather than open closets.
- • Periodically air out and inspect stored wool and fur items rather than leaving them undisturbed for years.
What Professional Treatment Involves
Treatment targets larval harborage in closets, storage areas, and cracks near infested items, combined with guidance on which specific items need cleaning or replacement.
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Common Questions
How do I tell a clothes moth from something that looks similar?
Indian meal moths (two-tone wing coloring, feed on food not fabric) and carpet beetle larvae (also damage wool, but are a beetle, not a moth — bristly rather than caterpillar-smooth).
Do I need professional treatment for clothes moth?
Treatment targets larval harborage in closets, storage areas, and cracks near infested items, combined with guidance on which specific items need cleaning or replacement.