Page 23 - Mothmageddon

JONATHAN BERLIAND & GRAHAM WARREN
• WEBBING CLOTHES MOTHS (Tineola bisselliella) not only prey on domestic wardrobes but also target museum objects, historical churches, as well as shops that sell fabrics or rugs. The adult moths are usually golden with a tuft of reddish hair on their heads. Webbing clothes moths can be especially damaging as they are often concealed, and therefore infestations on textiles and upholstery can go unnoticed until the damage is very apparent.
• CASEMAKING CLOTHES MOTHS (Tinea pellionella) are so called because the larva spins a protective silk case as it feeds, incorporating fibres on which it’s feasting. This makes the moths hard to see since they often appear to be the same colour as the fabric. The larva carries the silken case with it, expanding the case as it grows. Adult casemaking clothes moths are a dusty brown colour.
• TAPESTRY CLOTHES MOTHS (Trichopaga tapetzella) have been found in old tapestries and rugs, and in the furs of stuffed animals and the feathers of stuffed birds. They get under carpets and inside antique horsehair furniture too. The adult moth has a white head and wings that are black at the base and extreme tips. These moths are slightly bigger than webbing and casemaking moths.
It’s not just homeowners who fall prey to moths. A plague of clothing moths forced the closure of the offices of the Government department in charge of pest control!
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