Do Clothes Moths Eat Carpet

Adult case bearing carpet moth.

Do clothes moths eat carpet. Clothes moth larvae eat keratin. Clothes moths and carpet beetles. Clothes moths can digest protein fibers such as wool silk and specialty hair fibers but these insects will also find and eat protein substances on synthetic fibers. Tineola bisselliella commonly called the webbing clothes moth is the most recognized moth for destroying clothing.

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. Of course they re into clothes as well she says. To a family of moths it turns out a wool carpeted house is essentially an all you can eat restaurant. This means carpets rugs draperies and upholstery made from nylon acrylic polyester acetate and other synthetics can harbor these insects if they contain food or beverage.

If you have clothes moths the first place you re likely to check is your wardrobe. But while clothes moths are notorious for the damage they do to your garments their favourite breeding ground is actually your carpets. The specific name is commonly misspelled biselliella for example by g. There are two main types of insect which cause serious damage to textiles in the british isles.

Although very different in appearance and habits both are pests which eat animal fibres such as wool carpets and cashmere or mohair clothing. Identifying clothes carpet moths webbing clothes moth case bearing clothes moth. Herrich schäffer when he established tineola. They are commonly found around the home and even canberra s parliament house.

Tineola bisselliella known as the common clothes moth webbing clothes moth or simply clothing moth is a species of fungus moth family tineidae subfamily tineinae it is the type species of its genus tineola and was first described by arvid david hummel in 1823. Clothes moths and pantry moths can be a real pest when they start eating your woollens and getting into your flour. Clothes moth grubs like a dirty diet. The common clothes moth tineola bisselliella and the case bearing clothes moth tinea pellionella are the main pest species.

Unlike most moths webbing clothes moths do not like light and will often hide in closets undiscovered until a piece of clothing is damaged. These moths are generally 1 to 2 inches wide and light golden brown in color. Both will attack and damage carpets upholstery clothing and animal specimens.