Common Clothes Moth
Tineola bisselliella
This record describes Tineola bisselliella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | Wingspan 9 to 16 mm. |
| Head | Head pale ochreous to reddish ochreous, sometimes brownish at sides. |
| Forewing | Forewing pale ochreous buff, somewhat glossy, sometimes darker at base; base of costa dark brown. This moth inhabits houses, and was at one time a pest species. Its decline is probably due to the increase in use of man-made fibres and the much drier atmosphere created by central heating. The moths are more or less continuously brooded except during the winter months. The larva, as its vernacular name suggests, feeds on woollen clothing, upholstery and carpets, as well as other animal-based material, such as hair or fur. It lives in a silken tube, and when gregarious this can develop into dense matting. Formerly far commoner than it is these days. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species. |
Wikipedia reference for Tineola bisselliella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tineola bisselliella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Fungus Moths, Clothes Moths, & Allies)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Tineola
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This moth inhabits houses, and was at one time a pest species. Its decline is probably due to the increase in use of man-made fibres and the much drier atmosphere created by central heating.
Seasonal Activity
The moths are more or less continuously brooded except during the winter months.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva, as its vernacular name suggests, feeds on woollen clothing, upholstery and carpets, as well as other animal-based material, such as hair or fur. It lives in a silken tube, and when gregarious this can develop into dense matting.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Formerly far commoner than it is these days. 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 Tineola bisselliella. 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 Common Clothes Moth (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Common Clothes Moth
What is Common Clothes Moth?
Common Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Common Clothes Moth found?
Habitat: This moth inhabits houses, and was at one time a pest species. Its decline is probably due to the increase in use of man-made fibres and the much drier atmosphere created by central heating.
When is Common Clothes Moth active?
Common Clothes Moth: seasonal activity - The moths are more or less continuously brooded except during the winter months..
What is the life cycle of a Common Clothes Moth?
The larva, as its vernacular name suggests, feeds on woollen clothing, upholstery and carpets, as well as other animal-based material, such as hair or fur. It lives in a silken tube, and when gregarious this can develop into dense matting.