Common clothes mothTineola bisselliella — identification, signs & control

• Adult wingspan 12–17 mm, with narrow, plain golden-buff wings that have a satin sheen and no spots
• A tuft of reddish-gold hairs on the head
• Rests with wings folded flat along the body and prefers to run or hide rather than fly towards lights
• Larvae are creamy-white with a brown head, up to 13 mm, living in silk tubes mixed with fibre and droppings
• Damage shows as irregular holes in knitwear and grazed patches of carpet under furniture and along skirting boards

Holes in clothes

Small, scattered holes, often in hidden places such as armpits, collars and the folds of stored knitwear.

Bare patches in carpet

Pile grazed down to the backing under beds and sofas and along skirting boards, where nobody walks or vacuums.

Silk tubes and webbing

Fine silk tunnels or matting on fabric, sometimes with gritty droppings the same colour as the fibre.

Tiny cases

Grain-sized silk cases stuck to fabric, walls or ceilings point to the case-bearing species.

Moths in the wardrobe

Adults that scurry deeper into clothes when disturbed, most often in dim rooms from spring to autumn.

Clothes moths are a keratin problem. Their larvae digest the protein in animal fibres, so wool, cashmere, alpaca, silk, felt, feathers and fur are all food. Synthetics are rarely damaged unless blended with wool or soiled with sweat and food. Females lay eggs directly on the fabric. The larvae then feed for anything from a month to two years, depending on warmth and food quality, before pupating for 10 to 50 days. They favour dark, still places: the back of a wardrobe, stored blankets, carpet under a bed, felt piano hammers, taxidermy, and lofts with old bird nests. Central heating lets them breed all year round.

Clothes moths don't bite, sting or carry disease. The cost is financial and often sentimental: knitwear, suits, heirloom rugs, wool carpets and stored wedding dresses can all be ruined before anyone notices, because the larvae feed out of sight. A few holes usually means more larvae nearby. Infestations often spread from one forgotten item, such as a box of old jumpers in the loft or a wool rug under a bed, into the rest of the house.

No specific law covers clothes moths in private homes, and there is nothing to report. Any insecticide used on carpets and furnishings must be an approved biocidal product applied as the label directs, and clothing itself should not be sprayed. For landlords and tenants, damage to carpets or furnishings is usually a question for the tenancy agreement and inventory, so photograph damage as soon as you find it.

A light problem confined to one wardrobe is worth tackling yourself. Empty it, vacuum inside and along the surrounding carpet edges, and wash affected items at the hottest temperature the label allows, or have them dry-cleaned. Items you can't wash can go in a sealed bag in the freezer for a week; the Natural History Museum suggests -20°C. Pheromone traps show whether males are still flying but won't end an infestation. Call us when damage spreads across several rooms, carpets are being grazed, or moths keep returning after a thorough clean-out.

After a free inspection, we confirm the species and find the source, which is often a carpet edge, a stored rug or a loft full of old woollens. You bag and launder or freeze clothing first, following the preparation sheet we give you. The technician then applies a residual insecticide to carpets, concentrating on edges and under furniture, and to the inside of emptied wardrobes and drawers, never to the clothes themselves. Pheromone monitors can go in afterwards so we can both see whether males are still flying. You get a written record of products and areas treated, and we return if monitors or fresh damage show it is needed. Treatments start from £90.

1. 1Wash or dry-clean wool before storing it for the season; larvae are drawn to sweat and food stains
2. 2Store knitwear, blankets and furs in sealed bags or boxes rather than on open shelves
3. 3Vacuum under beds and sofas and along skirting boards, including under rugs that rarely move
4. 4Take out and shake wardrobe contents a few times a year; moths dislike light and disturbance
5. 5Check second-hand wool, rugs and vintage clothing before bringing them into the house
6. 6Clear old bird nests and debris from the loft, where moths and carpet beetles breed

Hertfordshire's older housing, from Victorian terraces in St Albans and Watford to period cottages in the villages, often comes with fitted wool carpets, deep alcove cupboards and lofts full of stored clothing, all of which suit clothes moths. Well-heated, well-insulated homes let them keep breeding through winter, so damage can build up unseen from one year to the next.

Areas we cover: St Albans · Harpenden · Hatfield · Welwyn Garden City · Watford · all areas