Common Carpet Moth

In association with the norfolk moth survey.

Common carpet moth.

The common carpet or white banded toothed carpet epirrhoe alternata is a moth of the family geometridae the species was first described by otto friedrich müller in 1764. It is found throughout the palearctic and the near east in north america it ranges across the northern tier of the united states plus every province and territory of canada. Herrich schäffer when he established tineola. The wood carpet is also similar and can be difficult to distinguish from the common carpet.

Carpet moth larvae feed predominately on keratin found in natural fibres such as wool and so can live on any carpet with some wool content. Similar to the galium carpet but the central band across the wings is narrower with more distinct markings on the hindwings. A carpet moth infestation can be a costly problem as it can cause serious and often irreperable damage to carpets rugs and other soft furnishings in the home. Identifying clothes carpet moths webbing clothes moth case bearing clothes moth.

The most common clothes moths are the webbing clothes moth easily identified with a golden colour and around half an inch in length and the case bearing moth which can be identified about inch long and their forewings are mottled brown with one large and a few. Martin townsend and paul waring illustrated by richard lewington british pyralid moths barry goater illustrated by geoffrey senior and robert dyke. The common house moth and carpet moth have very similar life cycles. They lay their eggs in dark hidden quiet parts of carpets and rugs in the house and it takes around 4 to 10 days for hatching.

The specific name is commonly misspelled biselliella for example by g. The carpet moth is a common household textile pest. Concise guide to the moths of great britain. The adult moths do not live much long but still female ones can lay hundreds of eggs in their brief lifetime.

Tineola bisselliella known as the common clothes moth webbing clothes moth or simply clothing moth is a species of fungus moth family tineidae subfamily tineinae it is the type species of its genus tineola and was first described by arvid david hummel in 1823. The webbing clothes moth otherwise known as the common clothes moth is prolific across the us and is the most likely carpet moth you will find followed by the case bearing clothes moth which attack carpets and clothes. The wood carpet is slightly larger with one thick white band across the forewing and hindwing in the common carpet this band is divided by a black line.