The Life Of A Clothes Moth And Its Impact On You

Within the dark corners of your wardrobe, hiding in-between cashmeres, all is not what it seems...

The female clothes moth, the Tinea Pennionella, is busy laying miniscule eggs which are poised to hatch into destructive invaders and commence the downward slope of wardrobe disintegration.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A MOTH:

1. The eggs are laid: Once mating has occurred, the females lay 40 to 50 eggs over a course of 4 to 21 days that hatch into eating machine larvae.
2. The larvae hatch: These live for an unusually long period of 50 days before they pupate, all the time feeding on the fibres of your clothes.
3. The larvae pupate: They wrap themselves in a silken case sealed with excrement and fibre. Whilst pupating they drag their bodies along in their silk turban, eating as they go.
4. They become moths: Who mate and carry on the cycle again, and again, from May until October. 

The life cycle lasts for about 65 to 90 days, with the female adult moths living for about 30 days and potentially laying up to 300 eggs.

The larvae that hatch from the eggs do the damage, as the adult moths themselves, known as 'millers', pose no threat to your knitwear. The larvae are notorious for feeding on wool, hair, leather, cotton, linen, silk and synthetic fibres. Practically anything they can get their mouths onto.

What attracts the moths to clothes?

The larvae convert the protein keratin, that is present in hair and wool, into useful nutrients. They do not drink water, so depend on their meal of jumper sleeve for moisture. Old sweat and liquid spillages provide a perfect feeding site for the hungry hatchlings. The female clothes moths will find a prime site for their eggs to hatch - the dirtier the better!

Not only do they munch away holes, but also leave their silken cases, silken threads and faecal pellets all over the surface or your garment, which in turn provide new food sources for the next batch.

What should I look for?

If you do find an un-expected hole your jumper, chances are that the larvae are at work. To identify them look for cream caterpillars with black heads. They may already be pupating or have already pupated, in which case there will be small tubes made up of the garment's fibre. Look out for the female moths with white heads and wings about 2 cm wide with a black and cream front and pale grey on the hind. These moths rarely fly, in fact it is only the males that flutter around locating females that prefer to hop around trying to find food and hideouts.

What can I do?

Persistent care is imperative to keep the moths away, however, if you do have an infestation, it is only by destroying the eggs, and disrupting the vicious life cycle that the problem can be solved long term. Check out our tips for a moth- free wardrobe.

anti-moth

Gifts

• About Us
  • Delivery
  • Media Coverage
  • Retail Events & Fairs
• Expert Advice & Hints
  • The Life Of A Clothes Moth And Its Impact On You
  • Get Rid of Moths - 5 Steps to a Moth Free Wardrobe
  • 10 Top Tips For Storing Clothes
  • Useful Links
• Video Tips
  • Beautifully Folded Knitwear