Casemaking clothes moth
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Description
A clothes moth, Tinea pellionella Linnaeus and related species. Adult casemaking clothes moths are brown with 3 dark spots on each wing. The adult insects have a wing span of 7 to 9 millimeters. Eggs hatch in 4 to 7 days then the larva feed for 41-56 days. The larvae stage feeds on proteinaceous media, such as woolen fabrics, Hair, pelts, hides, and feathers. The 7-8 mm long larvae are white with a brown head. They encase themselves in a case spun out of the material the were feeding on. They pupate into moths in 9 to 20 days then just live long enough to mate and lay new eggs (4 to 7 days).
Synonyms and Related Terms
case-bearing clothes moth
Additional Images
Casemaking clothes moth larvae
Casemaking clothes moth damage
Resources and Citations
- MuseumPests.net: Casemaking Clothes Moth
- Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC and Association of Systematics Collections, Washington DC, 1988