Details
Tineola bisselliella
A small household moth best known for damage to wool, fur, feathers, and stored natural fibers. The larva causes the damage, not the adult.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
In nature it uses nests and dry animal materials. Indoors it hides in closets, carpets, upholstery, and undisturbed stored textiles.
Adults are small, pale yellow-brown moths with a rusty tuft on the head. Larvae are whitish and live inside silken tubes or mats.
It favors dark, quiet spaces. Adults often scuttle across surfaces and fly weakly, while heated buildings can support year-round development.
Larvae feed on keratin-rich materials such as wool, fur, and feathers, plus some dry organic debris. Adults do not feed on cloth.
Females place clusters of eggs on suitable fibers or debris. Larval development can be quick in warm rooms or prolonged in poor conditions.
Holes in clothing come from hidden larvae. Cleaning, dry storage, and sealed containers reduce the chance of an outbreak.
