Case bearing carpet moths tinea pellionella are a common textile pest their larvae feed on keratin in natural fibres and so are a household pest due to the damage they can cause to woollen carpets and silk rugs as well as expensive clothing the larvae can also feed on cobwebs birds nests and other natural materials.
Case bearing carpet moth life cycle.
The adult moth is a pale silvery grey brown with dark spots and approximately 7mm long.
The adults do not live long and the mated adult female lays hundreds of eggs in her short life time.
The most common clothes moths are the webbing clothes moth easily identified with a golden color and around half an inch in length and the case bearing moth which can be identified about inch long and their forewings are mottled brown with one large and a few smaller indistinct black spots.
Its scientific name is derived from tinea a generic term for micromoths and the latin term for a furrier pellionellus.
This is one of the few moth species that can damage clothing and carpets but you can deter them from households.
The life cycle of a carpet moth clothes moth.
Carpet moths are typically found in warmer climates during the summer.
Alamy rather confusingly most of these moth species will sometimes switch from carpets to clothes and chew any natural fabrics like cotton wool and silk.
In outside buildings it has one generation however in heated buildings it can have two or more generations.
The case bearing clothes moth builds itself a portable case out of debris such as fibres and hairs in which they can hide.
Adult case bearing carpet moth.