Brown-dotted Clothes Moth
Niditinea fuscella
This record describes Niditinea fuscella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan around 14 mm. A small dull brown moth with two or three darker spots. Various habitats where a larval food source is available. Sometimes found in chicken houses. The moths, which are on the wing from May to September, generally fly from late afternoon onwards. The larvae of this 'clothes moth' actually feed in birds' nests and poultry houses, mainly on dried feathers and other dried animal and vegetable matter. Distributed throughout much of the British Isles except the far north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Niditinea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats where a larval food source is available. Sometimes found in chicken houses.
Seasonal Activity
The moths, which are on the wing from May to September, generally fly from late afternoon onwards.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae of this 'clothes moth' actually feed in birds' nests and poultry houses, mainly on dried feathers and other dried animal and vegetable matter.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout much of the British Isles except the far north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Niditinea fuscella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Brown-dotted Clothes Moth (2)
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown-dotted Clothes Moth
What is Brown-dotted Clothes Moth?
Brown-dotted Clothes Moth (Niditinea fuscella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Brown-dotted Clothes Moth found?
Habitat: Various habitats where a larval food source is available. Sometimes found in chicken houses.
When is Brown-dotted Clothes Moth active?
Brown-dotted Clothes Moth: seasonal activity - The moths, which are on the wing from May to September, generally fly from late afternoon onwards..
What is the life cycle of a Brown-dotted Clothes Moth?
The larvae of this 'clothes moth' actually feed in birds' nests and poultry houses, mainly on dried feathers and other dried animal and vegetable matter.