Published September 15, 2022 • Updated January 23, 2026
Reviewed by Julie Miller, BA in Language Arts, Editorial Lead, Dr. Killigan’s
TL;DR: Holes in wool and other natural fibers are usually caused by larvae, not adults. Clothes moth larvae are pale and may leave silky webbing plus irregular holes, while carpet beetle larvae are brown, fuzzy and often leave shed skins with broader thinning. Use the quick ID cues below to confirm the culprit and stop the cycle.
Carpet beetle larvae vs moth larvae: quick ID
If you find fuzzy larvae + shed skins: more likely carpet beetles
If you see webbing/silk: more likely clothes moths
Carpet beetle larvae (“woolly bears”) at a glance
Carpet beetle vs. clothes moth larvae- Size: 1/8–1/4 inch
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Color/texture: tan to brown; bristly—often with banded/striped-looking segments
- Clue: shed larval skins (cast skins); no webbing
- Hotspots: baseboards, vents, under furniture, rugs/carpets, stored wool items
Clothes moth larvae (“moth worms”) at a glance
- Size: 1/4–1/2 inch when fully grown
- Color/texture: creamy-white to pale yellow with a darker head; smooth (not fuzzy)
- Clue: silky webbing (webbing clothes moth) or a portable case (case-bearing)
- Hotspots: folds/seams, cuffs/collars, drawers, closet corners, rug borders
Note for “carpet moth larvae” searches: People often mean clothes moth larvae found near carpet edges.
What are carpet beetles and clothes moths?
Carpet beetles: Small, oval beetles often noticed near windows and lights. Adults don’t bite. Females lay eggs near lint/pet hair and other animal-based material, so larvae hatch near food and cause damage.
Tip: Adults are sometimes mistaken for bed bugs.
Clothes moths: Small moths that prefer dark, undisturbed spaces. Adults don’t eat fabric, but females lay eggs directly on natural fibers—so larvae begin feeding right where the item sits untouched.
What carpet beetles vs clothes moths eat: wool, clothes and cotton
This is one of the biggest confusion points: adults aren’t the fabric-eaters—larvae are. Adult carpet beetles mostly feed on pollen and nectar outdoors, while adult clothes moths mainly focus on mating and laying eggs in quiet storage areas.
Do carpet beetles eat wool?
Carpet beetle (Anthrenus verbasci)Yes—carpet beetle larvae eat animal-based materials (keratin). Wool is a common target.
Do carpet beetles eat clothes?
Yes—if the clothes contain animal-based fibers (wool, cashmere, silk blends, fur trim, feathers) or if items are soiled (body oils, food stains, pet hair).
Do carpet beetles eat cotton?
Usually no. But they may damage cotton if it’s blended with wool/animal materials or heavily soiled (sweat, oils, food, pet dander).
Do clothes moths eat cotton or synthetics?
Usually no—clothes moth larvae prefer animal-based materials. They may chew blends or soiled items where oils/food residues are present.
Shared high-risk materials (both pests)
- Wool, cashmere, felt
- Fur/hides, feather-filled items
- Silk (especially blends)
Carpet beetle vs clothes moth damage: what it looks like
Use damage pattern + nearby clues—especially when you can’t find a live larva.
Carpet beetle damage (larvae)
- Broader thinning across an area (often looks more diffuse)
- Scattered chew damage that's not clean-cut holes
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Look for: shed larval skins (cast skins) and tiny droppings (frass), often grain-of-salt-sized, near the damaged area
Clothes moth damage (larvae)
- Irregular holes with soft, uneven edges (not clean-cut circles)
- Grazed/thinned patches where fibers look “shaved” before holes appear
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Look for: silky webbing or a portable case, plus frass close to the feeding spot
Where do they come from?
Carpet beetles: Adults usually come from outdoors. They slip inside through open doors/windows, crawl through gaps in screens/frames or hitchhike in on items like cut flowers, holiday décor and stored fabrics.
Clothes moths: They usually come from infested textiles—secondhand wool items, rugs, upholstered pieces or stored items that already had eggs/larvae on them.
How to get rid of carpet beetles or clothes moths
The core strategy is the same: remove larvae food sources, disrupt hidden life stages and monitor so you catch the next wave.
Step 1: Confirm the source (the “where” matters)
Focus on places where keratin, lint and stillness overlap:
- Closet floors, baseboards and corners
- Drawer seams and folded stacks
- Rug borders and under heavy furniture
- Vents/duct edges where lint and pet hair collect
- Upholstered furniture seams (especially natural stuffing)
- Wall-to-wall carpet: if possible, lift the outer edge near baseboards (tack strip area) and check underneath
Step 2: Deep clean (the fastest ROI step)
- Vacuum thoroughly using crevice/brush attachments, especially along floor/wall junctions, baseboards, rug borders, vents and under furniture
- Empty vacuum contents immediately (a sealed bag outdoors is ideal)
- Launder or dry clean what you can
- For non-washables: isolate and treat (heat/freezing if appropriate)
- If an item is heavily infested, seal it in a bag for disposal or professional treatment (don’t carry it uncovered through the house)
Step 3: Targeted treatment (where activity is found)
After cleaning, treat the exact hiding zones where larvae travel and pupae tuck in. Use Six Feet Under Plant-Powered Insect Spray and apply it:
- Along baseboards, rug borders, closet-floor edges
- Into cracks/crevices and shelf corners
- Under/behind furniture where lint builds up
- On closet floors/walls and shelves where lint collects
Always follow label directions and spot-test an inconspicuous area first.
Step 4: Monitoring (especially for clothes moths)
If clothes moths are part of the issue, add Clothing Moth Traps to every affected closet or storage area. The pheromone lure attracts male moths, which helps reduce mating pressure and tells you whether moth activity is still happening while you clean and treat. (Traps are a monitoring + suppression tool—pair them with deep cleaning and targeted treatment to fully break the cycle.)
Moth infestations rarely resolve overnight because eggs, larvae and cocoons don’t show up all at once. Here’s the clothes moth life cycle so you can pace cleaning, treatment and monitoring.
For best results, place traps in the highest- and lowest-traffic zones of the space (high on the rod/shelf and low near the floor) and keep them up for several weeks to catch the next wave.
Step 5: Prevent the cycle from restarting
- Store cleaned wools in sealed bins/garment bags with Cedar Planks
- Reduce long, undisturbed time (shake/air seasonal items)
- Keep closets dry and less lint-prone (regular quick vacuuming helps)
- Address pet hair/lint buildup near baseboards and vents
Explore more
- How to get rid of clothing moths (step-by-step guide)
- How to prevent a clothing moth infestation (11 prevention steps)
- Where clothing moths live and hide (common hotspots)
- Do clothing moths actually eat clothes? (what they feed on—and what they ignore)
