We Offer Expert Eco-Friendly Pest Control Services in the NYC Metro Area and Beyond for Moths and all other Pest Infestations

A casemaking clothes moth is a winged insect, around 3/8 to ½ inch long and yellowish brown to golden in color, with three dark spots on the front wings.

It morphs into a moth from a caterpillar which is dark brown to black in color and lives in a silken case. The casemaking moth can cause considerable damage in the house, especially to clothes.

Habits

A female casemaking clothes moth starts laying eggs, after its metamorphosis into an adult moth. The eggs are laid on a suitable place where the larva can find food. The larva feeds on this food for around 33-90 days, during which it molts 5-11 times. The larva then goes through the pupal stage, inside a silken case. The caterpillar of casemaking clothes moth carries this silken case, with it to the food source and feeds from within the case. Only the head and the legs of the caterpillar are visible. The whole process takes around 46-116 days before the egg becomes an adult.

The casemaking clothes moth feeds on fabric or materials that are of plant or animal origin. They prefer wool, feathers, fur and also feed on furniture, leather, paper, tobacco, spices, hemp etc. They avoid light in all stages and hence, are found in dark, secluded areas like closets, basements and attics, and hidden inside fabrics.

How to Prevent Damage

• The clothes should be stored only after dry cleaning or laundering. There are more chances of casemaking clothes moth attacking unwashed clothes as they are attracted to the perspiration odour. Cleaning kills germs and eggs present, thus lowering the chances of infestation.
• If clothes are stored for a long time, the storing place should be tightly closed with moth balls for preventing the moths.
• If there is a moth infestation in clothes, removing the clothes that are causing infestation is important. That helps in protecting other clothes.
• Regular vacuuming of the closets where clothes are stored also helps in removing the eggs of the moths, preventing them from causing infestation
• Call professionals if things go beyond your control.

We emphasize on using green methods to exterminate casemaking clothes moths that are both very effective as well as environment friendly.