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Posted by on Jun 25, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

Why Do Moths Eat Clothes?

Why Do Moths Eat Clothes?

Why Do Moths Eat Clothes? Some moths eat clothes because that is their food. Actually, it isn’t the adult moth that does the damage. The eaters are the caterpillar stage of the moth. They especially like wool and fur.

The female moth lays her soft, white eggs on clothing and in carpets. When the eggs hatch, the hungry little caterpillars begin to eat whatever material they rest on. The caterpillar has strong biting jaws that can chew cloth and fur.

Even if you don’t see the clothing moths, you will see the damage left by the feeding larvae. Damage to articles may consist of irregular surface feeding or holes eaten completely through the fabric. When the insect changes into a winged adult, its mouth changes, too, and it no longer has any desire to feed on clothes.

When people have clothing moths, they usually turn to mothballs as their first defense, but it isn’t the best one, to deal with an infestation, the experts say, is to dry clean anything made of wool or animal fibers and wash everything else in your washing machine’s hot wash cycle. Then, vacuum the floor, the bottoms and tops of the shelves, and even the ceiling to remove any remaining eggs and hungry larvae.

Content for this question contributed by Michele Makuch, resident of, Ludlow, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA