Do Carpet Moths Eat Clothes

The female moth lays hundreds of soft white eggs that adhere to the fabric and hatch quickly.

Do carpet moths eat clothes.

This means items made of cashmere and wool cotton and silk. Carpet beetles and moths both cause holes in your clothes and especially like to feed on cotton clothing or other fabrics. The casemaking clothes moth will sometimes use cotton fibers to cocoon themselves when nothing else is available. Carpet fibres are the perfect place for clothes moths to lodge their eggs and for larvae to hide household dirt that collects in carpet provides a keratin rich food course for clothes moth larvae carpet behind or beneath furniture can go untouched for months or even years allowing infestations to grow.

Contrary to what most people believe adult moths do not eat or cause any damage to clothing or fabric. It is the clothes moth larvae which are solely responsible for damage to clothing and carpets and which spend their entire time eating and foraging for food. That is why in the wardrobe you are likely to find moth holes around areas on the clothes that get sweaty under arms are a prime example. Adult moths are no danger to wool cashmere or mohair clothes but the larvae can be detrimental as they feed and cut holes in clothes.

Both moths will feed upon cotton clothing if it is blended with an animal fiber. The larvae eat natural fibres like wool fur and silk. They re especially attracted to food or certain chemical attractants from your perfume deodorant musk etc. Webbing clothes moth larvae like to feast on carpet in dark corners behind furniture.

This is precisely why clothing moth issues persist through the. Clothes moth larvae can stay at this stage for up to 30 months 2 years happily eating your clothing whilst waiting for the right conditions to turn into adult moths. All kinds of moths are feed with moisture and food traces together with natural fibers of your carpets and clothing. They are attracted to food stains spills and smells so it is crucial for a moth free life keeping all your textiles clean and tidy.

You should vacuum your carpets on a regular base and wash your items of clothing. Bugs that commonly eat cotton carpet beetles of the family dermestidae are responsible for most damage to cotton or synthetic clothing.