Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella
Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella, is the most common fabric moth. It causes damage to feed, wool clothing, stored wool, upholstered furniture, furs, carpets, rugs and fishmeal.  These moths usually attack the hidden area of cloth and make significant damage to fabrics or garments. The main reason for their pest status rests in their unusual ability to digest keratin, a protein forming the principal constituent of these materials. The webbing clothes Moth, Tineola bisselliella, occurs in domestic premises, grain stores and museums.

Biology of Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella

The body of the adult moth is covered with shiny, golden scales and head contains has a tuft of fluffy, reddish-gold hairs. The antenna is darker than the rest of its body. Female moths are slightly larger than the males. Adult female moth lays 35-50 eggs in the fabric it attacks in life span of The 3 to 4 weeks before death.

Eggs are white, soft and circular in shape and hatch into larvae within 5 days; this could be extended up to 20- 25 days depending on temperature. Larvae are a creamy-white colour, shiny and a fully-grown larva is about 10-12 mm in length. Total larva period completed in 35-40 days. It could be extended 2-3 years depending on the basis of temperature and food availability. The larvas go to pupation inside silken cases.

Nature of Damage of Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella

The larvae spin silken feeding tubes as they feed in; wool clothing, stored wool, upholstered furniture, furs, carpets, rugs, fish meal. Synthetics wool blended cotton fabrics could be eaten on by the larvae. Larvae conceal themselves in the hidden area of clothes like collar, cuffs and banded part of garments and in crevices of upholstered furniture. Moths are very weak and are not very good flyers. Therefore, restrict their flying nearby infested areas.

Pheromone for Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella

Russell IPM manufactures and supplies pheromone lure, traps and complete monitoring systems for Webbing Cloth Moth, Tineola bisselliella. Pheromone trap provides early warning of the infestation and will alter the pest controller before infestation become serious. Russell IPM offers Safestore cloth moth trap for effective monitoring.