Clothes Moths (Tineola bisselliella)

Clothes Moths (Tineola bisselliella) Extermination

With the decreased use of preventive pesticides, the incidence of museum items damaged by the webbing clothes moth has increased significantly in recent years. Items primarily affected include woolens, anything containing feathers, animal mounts and skeletons. Woolen items damaged by clothes moths have holes eaten through them by small, white larvae. You can often find hairs fallen from animal specimens that the larvae are feeding upon. Materials left undisturbed for some time or stored in dark places (such as a closets, attics, or drawers) are most severely damaged by these insects. The adults are small and champagne-colored. They can often be seen running over the surface of the infested goods when exposed to light or flying somewhat aimlessly about the house or closets.