Updated on October 22nd, 2024
Moths can be a nuisance, but they are not always harmful. It depends on the type of moth, and therefore, being able to identify that particular moth is of utmost importance.
Did the said moth just flutter in and will it simply flutter back out of your home—or is it there to stay and raid your pantry, eat your puppy’s kibbles or ruin your favorite sweater?
Numerous types of moths could make their way into your home. In this article, we’ll focus on the most common types of moths that might try to gain a foothold in your home.
What types of moths get into my home?
Tiny moths, brown moths, small grain-eating moths or moths that appear any time of year—these are just a few terms used to describe the species of moth that may be in your home. Let's get down to business and identify them.
Brown house moth
Identification: The brown house moth is often challenging to distinguish due to its similarity to the pantry moth. It features a range of brown hues from reddish-brown to bronze-brown or brownish-gray, adorned with patches of brown and black. The wings display small, irregular dark flecks and the hind wings of adults are characterized by a fringe of long hairs along the lower edge. Typically, brown house moths measure between 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length.
Dietary preferences: These moths have a broad diet that includes a wide range of manmade foodstuffs and household materials. Their larvae are particularly destructive, feeding on cereals, dried fruits, seeds, wood floor inlays and materials made from clothes, furniture fabric and fur. Unlike many other moth species, brown house moths also have the capability to break down, digest and utilize keratin, thanks to the lactic acid bacteria present in their midgut.
Habitat and behavior: Brown house moths are versatile and adaptable, thriving in both residential and commercial settings where they live close to human activities. Commonly found in carpets, clothing, cabinets and pantries, they also inhabit attics, roofing spaces and lofts. In favorable conditions, particularly warm and humid environments, their lifecycle can accelerate, allowing them to complete their generation cycle in as little as seven months.
Impact on property: Due to their diet, brown house moths can cause significant damage to household items and commercial goods. The ability to digest keratin (as aforementioned) allows them to degrade materials—such as wool and leather—that many other pests cannot, which poses an increased risk to clothing and furniture.
White-shouldered house moth
Adaptable and persistent, the white-shouldered house moth— or Endrosis sarcitrella—has carved out a niche close to human activity across the globe. These moths thrive in food-rich environments, making them common but often unwelcome guests in homes and businesses.
Identification: White-shouldered house moths are small, typically measuring between 1/4 to nearly 1/2 inch in length. They are recognizable by their distinctive coloration; the forewings are a mottled brown with dark patches, while their head and the front of their thorax are strikingly white.
Habitat and behavior: Found worldwide, these moths are particularly drawn to light and exhibit a unique adaptability to various environments. They can thrive year-round, as their breeding cycle isn't limited by seasonal changes. Commonly, these moths inhabit residential homes, outbuildings and even industrial settings, often choosing bird nests close to human dwellings as their homes.
Dietary preferences: The larvae of the white-shouldered house moth are omnivorous, feeding on a mixture of plant and animal-based materials. Their diet includes grains, flour, cereals and animal-based fabrics such as wool, silk or cashmere. This broad diet allows them to thrive most anywhere, from pantries to wardrobes.
Impact on property: In addition to being a nuisance, these moths can cause significant damage, particularly in specialized environments such as wine cellars. Their larvae have been known to bore into cork, damaging bottles of wine and leading to financial losses.
Geographical prevalence: While these moths are found globally, they are most commonly encountered in Great Britain.
Mediterranean pantry moth
The Mediterranean pantry moth—or Ephestia kuehniella—is categorized as a prevalent species among flour moths. While only slightly larger than the Indian meal moth, it is more distinctively recognized by its coloring rather than size.
Identification: The Mediterranean pantry moth is light gray with a distinguishing black zigzag pattern on its wings, setting it apart from the Indian meal moths, which lack these markings. It also adopts a unique resting stance, extending its forelegs and raising its head slightly, giving it a sloping appearance. It is the only type of house moth that has this 'I’m-watching-television, don’t-bother-me' pose.
Dietary preferences: Like its relative, the Indian meal moth, the Mediterranean pantry moth has specific dietary preferences. It primarily feeds on processed broken grains and coarse grains of flour—such as those found in breakfast cereals and brans. Additionally, it attacks seeds and nuts, dried beans and legumes, rice, dried fruit, pet food, teas, herbs, birdseed, potpourri mixes, spices and even household decorations that incorporate real nuts, seeds and grains.
Habitat and behavior: The Mediterranean pantry moth is found globally—thriving in both residential and commercial environments. Typically inhabiting places where food storage is common, these moths are especially prevalent in areas where grains are processed and stored, making them a frequent concern in grocery stores, pantries and food processing facilities. Their ability to breed continuously throughout the year allows them to establish persistent populations in these environments.
Impact of larvae: The larvae of the Mediterranean pantry moth pose significant challenges to industrial operations due to their silk production. As they develop, these larvae spin large amounts of silk that accumulate into dense, sticky masses. These masses can entangle the moving parts of machinery, leading to blockages and disruptions. The most common problems occur in animal feed dispensers and packaging equipment in food processing plants and flour mills, where the silk obstructs mechanisms and can lead to costly malfunctions and production delays.
Common pantry moth
The pantry moth—or Plodia interpunctella—is a widespread pest known by many names including the Indian meal moth, flour moth, grain moth and weevil moth. This moth is a notorious invader of kitchens and food storage areas.
Identification: Common pantry moths are quite small, measuring 1/4 to less than 1/2 inch in length. They feature a distinctive color pattern on their forewings: the outer half is bronze or dark gray, while the upper half is yellow-gray with dark bands. This coloration can sometimes lead to confusion with the common clothing moth, but their feeding habits are notably different.
Habitat and behavior: These moths are primarily found indoors, thriving in environments where food is stored such as kitchens, grocery stores and food processing plants. They have adapted well to living in close proximity to humans, utilizing human food sources for sustenance and reproduction. Due to their small size, they can easily infiltrate packaging and lay eggs, leading to infestations that can go unnoticed until significant damage has occurred.
Dietary preferences: Pantry moths have a wide-ranging diet that includes almost all dry foods. They are particularly drawn to raw and processed grain products, cereals, pastas and even pet foods like dog and cat kibble. Their ability to infest a variety of food items makes them a significant pest in any food storage setting.
Note: Understanding the difference between the pantry moth and the clothing moth is crucial, as their destructive behaviors are distinct. Pantry moths will not eat your clothes.
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Common clothing moth
Clothing moths, unlike their pantry-invading relatives, pose a unique threat to wardrobes and fabric stores worldwide. They discreetly cause extensive damage to clothing and other materials, making their management a priority for homeowners and conservators alike.
Identification: There are two primary types of common clothing moths: the webbing clothes moth—or Tineola bisselliella—recognized as a primary textile pest, and the casemaking clothes moth—or Tinea pellionella—known for its protective casing habit. The webbing clothes moth displays a uniform, yellowish-golden color with a small tuft of reddish hairs on its head, while the casemaking clothes moth has similar features but includes dark specks on its wings.
Habitat and behavior: Clothing moths thrive in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, drawers and storage boxes where they can avoid light. These environments provide the perfect conditions for them to feed, breed and avoid predators.
Dietary preferences: These moths feed exclusively on materials containing animal fibers like wool, fur, silk, feathers, felt and leather, which contain the protein-rich fibrous keratin that their larvae are able to digest. They rarely damage cotton or synthetic fibers unless these are blended with animal fibers or heavily soiled with body oils or residues.
Impact on materials: The larvae of clothing moths can cause significant damage to clothing and textiles. This not only results in a financial loss but can also lead to the loss of irreplaceable heritage items such as costumes and antique textiles.
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