Description

Three common species of moth in homes are the clothes moth, the brown house moth and the white-shouldered house moth. The clothes moth is the smallest of the three moths, being pale beige or straw coloured, almost golden. The brown house moths are mottled and darker than the clothes moths. The white shouldered house moth is paler than the brown house moths, but can be distinguished from the clothes moth by its obvious white head and "shoulders".

Threats

The larvae feed on materials containing wool, or woven fibres, fur and feathers, even fertilisers, causing physical damage as well as contamination.

The Warehouse of Cocoa Moth is a very serious pest problem in the chocolate industry, with its liking for nuts, almonds, cocoa beans and dried fruit. If the moths appear in the factory there is alweays the risk that they may have laid eggs on the finished product.