Western Clothes Moth
Common NameWestern Clothes Moth
Scientific NameTinea occidentella
FamilyTineidae
SubfamilyTineinae
Wingspan (mm)12
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgray, brown, black, white
HabitatIndoor environments (homes, museums, warehouses), sometimes outdoors in bird nests or animal burrows.
Geographic RangeWestern North America, including parts of Canada and the United States.
Host Plantswool, fur, feathers, silk, felt, dried animal products, stored grains
Flight PeriodYear-round indoors; outdoors primarily warmer months.
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid on suitable food sources. Larvae are destructive, feeding on keratin-containing materials and spinning silken tunnels as they develop. Pupation occurs in a silken cocoon, and multiple generations can occur annually indoors.
Identification TipsLook for its small size, mottled grayish-brown forewings with a few indistinct darker spots, and a distinctive pale, often white, head tuft. It is typically found indoors near natural fibers and animal products.
Description
A small, drab moth with mottled grayish-brown forewings, often featuring indistinct darker spots, and a prominent tuft of white or pale hairs on its head.
