The very same moth that annoys housewives and spoils things is called "clothes moth", "room moth" or Tineola bisselliella. It belongs to the order of Lepidoptera and the family of real moths, being a common domestic pest, but only in the caterpillar stage, when it actively spoils fabric, upholstery or fur.
Instructions
Step 1
Contrary to popular belief, adult clothes moths or "imago" do not harm, since they do not have a gnawing type of mouthparts. In addition to the tissues themselves, caterpillars can also feed on readily available wheat, barley, oats, corn, flour, as well as not only grains, but also prepared bread. But what does this insect look like?
Step 2
Adult moths have a relatively short body length - from 0.5 to 1 centimeter with a wingspan of up to 1.5 centimeters. The typical color for such insects is beige with reddish, yellowish or golden hairs on the head of the moth. The body of the moth is also usually covered with shiny bristles. The wings of the insect are narrow, with a fringe of small hairs along the very edges.
Step 3
At the egg stage, the insect looks completely different - with a maximum of 0.3 centimeters at its widest point. Immediately after the moment of laying, it is white or slightly grayish, cylindrical in shape. One end of a moth egg is usually more rounded than the opposite.
Step 4
Another stage in the life of a clothes moth is a caterpillar hatching from an egg, white, translucent and a maximum length of 0.1 centimeter. It is then that the moth has the very mouth for biting food and weaving a silk pupa. Over time, the caterpillar grows to 1, 2 centimeters, after which it forms a pupa. Inside, her cocoon is smooth, and outside, often, it is all covered with granules of feces, undigested food and various debris. The length of such a pupa is about 0.8 centimeters and a width of about 0.1 centimeters. Weight - from 3 to 12 milligrams. During its life at this stage, the mole pupa changes color: the head from cream to yellow or brown, the breast - from yellowish to dark brown with a gray belly.
Step 5
The wardrobe moth is widespread in almost all territories of the planet, although some scientists believe that it is unable to settle in the tropical zone. The list of places of its large-scale distribution includes Australia, Canada, Zimbabwe, the USA, all European states, New Zealand, Thailand, Russia and the countries of Southeast Asia.
Step 6
Adult insects of this species can penetrate even the narrowest cracks and fly over fairly long distances. The length of the non-stop flight can be up to 800 meters. But usually pregnant female clothes moths plan very poorly, so insects that often flutter in apartments are male insects.
