Insect
Webbing Clothes Moth
Tineola bisselliellaAlso known as Common Clothes Moth, Clothing Moth
Webbing clothes moths thrive in dark, undisturbed corners where their cream-colored caterpillars spin silken feeding tunnels and graze on keratin-rich animal fibers. Adult moths possess non-functional mouthparts, never feeding during their brief mature lives, and are weak fliers that prefer scuttling into cracks rather than fluttering toward light. In nature, they fulfill an important ecological role by breaking down animal carcasses, sheds, and bird nests, but indoors they are notorious museum and wardrobe pests.
Household PestSynanthropicKeratin Feeder
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyWool, Feathers, Animal fur
Predators
- Jumping spider
- House centipede
- Parasitoid wasp
ThreatsPesticide treatments, freezing, heat treatment, and sanitation practices
HabitatsHuman dwellings, warehouses, bird nests, and animal burrows
Life span2 to 10 months depending on temperature and humidity
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyTineidae
- GenusTineola
- SpeciesTineola bisselliella
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Completely harmless to human health, but larvae can cause significant damage to animal-fiber fabrics.
Responsible observation
- Check Hidden Areas: Inspect dark, quiet storage zones like closets, baseboards, and under heavy furniture.
- Look for Webbing: Search wool garments for patchy silken tubes and tiny fecal pellets rather than flying adults.
- Control Safely: Launder, freeze, or seal susceptible natural fibers to break the reproductive cycle without harsh chemicals.
Look-alike (c) Rosario Douglas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rosario Douglas · cc-by
Competitor (c) Guillaume Hoffmann, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Guillaume Hoffmann · cc-by
Predator (c) Kyle Elshoff, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kyle Elshoff · cc-by
Close Relative (c) carnifex, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by carnifex · cc-by
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Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Webbing Clothes Moth is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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