Carpet Moth Larvae Identification Uk

Alamy i f you have never heard of the case bearing carpet moth tinea pellionella you are lucky they have probably not invaded your home.

Carpet moth larvae identification uk. Adult webbing clothes moths have a wingspread of about 1 2 inch and that of the male is somewhat less. Step 2 assess the intensity of your infestation use carpet moth traps to identify how much of a problem you may have unlike many other types of moths. Carpet moths are buff coloured with forewings that usually have three distinct dots. Carpet moth eggs are so small you won t notice them but their larvae are easily identified due to the case they carry around which gives them their common name.

What s ukmoths all about. Identifying a carpet moth the carpet moth is smaller than a common house moth. With a body about 5mm long and a wingspan of about 14 18mm. Identify webbing clothes moth larvae by their feeding tunnels of silk or webbing patches left behind on the fabric as they move around.

The carpet tapestry moth trichophaga tapetzella and the case bearing carpet moth tinea pellionella. Neither species is as common indoors as it used to be as indoor temperatures tend to be too high for them these days due to central heating. There are two species of carpet moth found in the uk. Carpet moths typically live outdoors in bird nests or on animals but there are increasing cases of tinea pellionella being found in uk homes.

Have a look at our moth id sheet to work out what kind of moth you have spotted. A local species occurring in a range of scattered localities mainly in south west england and wales and parts of scotland but also in a number of other places throughout britain. Traditionally moth fieldguides have concentrated on the so called macro moths of which there are around 800 regular species. Brown with a metallic silver y shaped mark on each forewing one of the most commonly seen day flying.

If you spot a tiny grub wrapped in a woven case dragging itself around you ve got carpet moths. Case bearing carpet moth larvae on fabric. The larvae are creamy white coloured caterpillars which can be as much as a 1 2 inch in length. Their larvae are most likely to be found munching away underneath some of your bigger and heavier furniture that you rarely move to vacuum.

Here the moths can rest unseen with their superb cryptic camouflage. It inhabits mature deciduous woodland where lichen covers the trunks and branches of the trees. Ukmoths has been providing identification help and information about britain s moths for over 15 years.