Clothing Moth

Clothing Moth (Tineola bisselliella) is a small butterfly of the family Tineidae with size between 4–8 mm, which is known and dreaded pest in many households. This tiny butterfly is interesting, for it does not need to drink, because the water it needs is created by its own metabolism. However, the pest itself is not an adult butterfly, but its larvae feeding on keratin (horn) contained in some natural materials. It is also one of the few species which is able to digest wool.

Clothing Moth lives worldwide in a dark, moist and warm environment, where it can lay eggs. Its development from an egg to an adult takes from couple of months to an year, depending on its life conditions, which also affect the number of generations occuring each year. The entire life cycle of the Clothing Moth takes from 65 to 90 days.