Clothes moths crave the natural fibers in clothing (including silk, cotton, wool, etc. August 31, 2012. The life cycle of clothes moths. Adult moths lack the mouthparts needed to eat your clothing lint. These pests are only attracted to eating dry goods like grains and cereals. The larvae pupate and then turn into adult clothes moths, and so complete the lifecycle. To keep your wool clothing safe from moths, start by washing your clothes in hot water or having them dry-cleaned, since moths are attracted to sweat and skin cells. They don’t, technically. Actually, it’s not Moths that eat clothes, it’s the Moth larvae. Hi Albie, thank you for your question. Moths are often called textile pests, but as mentioned, it’s not the moths who eat clothes, but rather the larvae or caterpillars. This is why they have a taste for high quality, natural materials such as wool, silk or fur. Take one room at a time. Moths do not feed on clothes. Do moths eat clothes? What do Clothes Moths Eat? Related > Insects That Eat Clothes. The larvae are creamy-white coloured caterpillars, which can be as much as a 1/2 inch in length. With a life cycle of 65 to 90 days, a moth can lay up to 40-50 eggs in this period. Why do moth larvae eat clothes? They frequently devour wool jackets, fur, and sweaters. The eggs are attached to the fiber with special adhesives and are very tiny, which is why it is difficult to identify within that period. Indian meal moths aren’t attracted to clothing other than to use for pupating. Clothes moth or clothing moth is the common name for several species of moth considered to be pests, whose larvae eat animal fibres (hairs), including clothing and other fabrics.. As they live of Keratine, which is found in natural fibres, such as wool, cashmere, silk or fur, the moths’ larvae are the ones that do all the damage. There are two species of Moths that eat clothes. Moths like undisturbed corners that are dark and warm. These are the webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth. Killing all the flying moths won’t solve the problem because it’s their babies that do the actual damage. So, in order to defend your favorite clothes, follow these tips for successfully getting rid of clothes moths. 6. Human sweat left on clothing provides the dampness they need. They can be feeding on stored blankets, wool carpets, stuffed animal heads, even piano felt! They will even eat through synthetic materials, on the lookout for any natural fibers that may be hidden inside, so not even polyester is safe from them. Adult clothes moths only live for around one month and their sole purpose is to mate and for the female clothes moth to lay eggs. Why Do Moths Eat Clothes? In their larval stage, they will eat almost anything that they come across, including organic fiber. After mating the female moth lays about 40 to 50 eggs over a period of several weeks on fabric materials. They hatch within a few weeks of being laid. Check for the clothes moth larvae if adult moths are present. Clothes moth adults do not feed so they cause no injury to fabrics. Keep checking your clothes for moth holes, keep rooms well-ventilated as temperatures start to rise, and keep a natural oil diffuser in your wardrobe at all times - it smells great and wards off moths (£20, Total Wardrobe Care).Rentokil's moth cassettes are also a good precautionary measure; keep them hanging on your rail at all times (from £5 at Amazon). Moth eggs hatch in four to 10 days during the summer but may take several weeks to hatch in the winter. The larval stage of clothes moths are creamy-white caterpillars up to 1/2-inch long. The clothe moth rarely consumes synthetic and cotton fabrics unless the fabrics are either blended with food stains, wool or body oils. These species are spread far and wide across the globe. Besides the usual plants and leaves, larvae are very fond of fibers in clothes. 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