Tineola bisselliella

Webbing Clothes Moth at Conder, ACT

Tineola bisselliella at Conder, ACT - 25 Jan 2020
Tineola bisselliella at Conder, ACT - 25 Jan 2020
Tineola bisselliella at Conder, ACT - 25 Jan 2020
Request use of media

Identification history

Tineola bisselliella 17 Feb 2020 GlennCocking
Edosa ochracea 5 Feb 2020 ibaird
Edosa ochracea 4 Feb 2020 GlennCocking
Unidentified 4 Feb 2020 michaelb

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Size - 5mm..... Conder, ACT

21 comments

michaelb wrote:
   4 Feb 2020
Note that the colour in the photo is much darker than reality. The background was white paper, and the moth was a light brown or off-white. The length of body and wings was only 5mm.
These moths are only found inside my house and there a quite a lot of them.
michaelb wrote:
   4 Feb 2020
Do these guys eat clothes? If so how do get rid of them?
donhe wrote:
   5 Feb 2020
Little is known of the biology of most moths.
Most were named and classified by study of adult specimens.
Can you capture some of these moths, and see if you can get a female to lay some eggs, then offer the larvae various food-stuffs, and see what they accept? Note that the Tineidae larvae that are known to attack textiles only eat animal hair like wool, not cotton or polyester, etc.
michaelb wrote:
   5 Feb 2020
So far, over several months, I've had dozens of them in my house. The most notable behaviour is that they like to hide in dark places and that they like to rest on cotton towels or blankets. They tend to come out of hiding at night. I've not seen any larvae.
GlennCocking wrote:
   5 Feb 2020
Unfortunately, it sounds like you're likely to have some larvae somewhere!
michaelb wrote:
   6 Feb 2020
Is there an easy way do get rid of them?
donhe wrote:
   6 Feb 2020
Fumigation will not kill all the eggs. Freezing the clothes will not kill eggs in crannies.
Actually : yes. Dump all clothes and carpets and curtains etc that contain of animal fibres like wool, and replace them all by cotton and synthetics.
michaelb wrote:
   6 Feb 2020
Thanks for humorous suggestion Don. Unfortunately in Canberra's winters woollen garments are essential for my survival. I'll just have to try to minimise the population.
donhe wrote:
   7 Feb 2020
Try this one: wait for a winter day when the air temperature is below -10, and open all doors , windows, cupboard and wardrobe doors and drawers, etc, and let nature do the job for you.

Or: put all your clothes in the freezer for a spell, and meanwhile spray alcohol (eg methys, perfume, vodka) into all joints and crannies in your wardrobe and nearby in the room where they are occurring.
donhe wrote:
   7 Feb 2020
Actually this may all be for nought, as Edosa ochracea larvae may not be lanaphagous. That was why I originally suggested that you rear some and find out. Then if you report your findings, we would all know.
michaelb wrote:
   8 Feb 2020
I'm not sure what you mean by lanaphagous. Do you mean monophagous?
Thanks for your suggestions.
donhe wrote:
   9 Feb 2020
lana is Latin for wool, Lanaphagous = eats animal hair
michaelb wrote:
   10 Feb 2020
Ah... thanks Don
I've been checking items in my household and I've found evidence of woollen ones being eaten by moths, but so far no cotton items.
donhe wrote:
   10 Feb 2020
The woollen textile damage could be caused by other common lanaphagous Tineidae like
Monopis icterogastra, Niditinea fuscella, Tinea pellionella , Tineola bisselliella and Trichophaga tapetzella. Do you see any of these flying about indoors? Have you tried hanging a sticky fly paper in the bedroom and seeing if it traps other indoor moth species?
The larvae of most Tineidae species eat other things like wine corks, Grass Trees, rotting wood, Fungi, flower buds, and should not be executed for textile damage, without a fair trial.
michaelb wrote:
   10 Feb 2020
I will continue to monitor the situation and report any new findings.
GlennCocking wrote:
   10 Feb 2020
I've just received specimens from Michael and Christine (who posted the other current Edosa ochracea record) and will work out what they are.
AlisonMilton wrote:
   11 Feb 2020
Michael, Not sure if these are the same moths, but I had a large infestation of carpet moths a couple of years ago. I vacuumed larvae where I could find them but couldn't get to those behind and under bookcases etc so the infestation continued. I then bought some pantry moth traps (there are also similar traps for clothes moths) and put them in strategic places . It took a couple of years but I now see very few moths as opposed to seeing dozens at a time when it started.
michaelb wrote:
   11 Feb 2020
Thanks Alison
Carpet moths sounds like a likely possibility.
GlennCocking wrote:
   12 Feb 2020
Specimens from the houses for records 4249329 and 4245676 include a species from the Tinea pellionella complex, possibly T. translucens. It has a variable pattern, from a darkish grey/brown (often with a few darker spots), through plain light yellow/beige to off white. It is hard to distinguish between light yellow specimens of Tinea translucens and the consistently light gold pattern of Tineola bisselliella, the common house moth. There are differences in their head structures, but I don’t have enough fresh specimens to be certain of Tineola bisselliella (and the structural differences are unlikely to be visible in a live photo). But the photos for records 4249329 and 4245676 are plain gold andI think we should recognise them as Tineola bisselliella. The photos in the new record 4249751 might illustrate both species - although the darkness that is apparent in the first three may be an artifact of the photo and they are really the same as the last two that seem to be Tineola bisselliella - but it’s impossible to be certain. (I downloaded the photos and adjusted the colour and couldn’t be certain about any differences between the five.)
If the “owners” of these moths could find the larvae, perhaps in some carpet that is or has been damp (although they eat a wide variety of animal origin matter), then we would learn more. The larvae of Tineola bisselliella are usually found within an untidy mass of webbing, whereas those of Tinea translucens each construct a portable silk case incorporating fragments of the food as disguise.
Edosa ochracea is a plain darker gold than Tineola bisselliella, and differs from both the above species in its head structures. I haven’t read of any association with dwellings, and the biology of the genus is not known.
michaelb wrote:
   12 Feb 2020
Ok Glenn
I haven't seen any larvae in my indoor explorations but I'll keep an eye out for them.
michaelb wrote:
   18 Feb 2020
Thanks Glenn, for going to so much trouble to ID this tiny moth.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Nearby sightings

Page 1 of 13 - image sightings only

Polistes (Polistes) chinensis (Asian paper wasp) at Conder, ACT - 25 Mar 2024 by michaelb
Stemonitis sp. (genus) (A slime mould) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 14 Dec 2023 by michaelb
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 22 Nov 2023 by michaelb
Mituliodon tarantulinus (Prowling Spider) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 7 Oct 2023 by michaelb
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 1 Oct 2023 by michaelb
Ardices canescens (Dark-spotted Tiger Moth) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 1 Oct 2023 by michaelb
Gastrinodes bitaeniaria (Buff Bark Moth) at Conder, ACT - 1 Oct 2023 by michaelb
Pholodes sinistraria (Sinister or Frilled Bark Moth) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 29 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Psephotus haematonotus (Red-rumped Parrot) at Conder, ACT - 23 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Scymnodes sp. (genus) (Unidentified Scymnodes ladybird) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 23 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Ardices canescens (Dark-spotted Tiger Moth) at Conder, ACT - 20 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Agrotis munda (Brown Cutworm) at Conder, ACT - 15 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Chrysodeixis argentifera (Tobacco Looper) at Conder, ACT - 13 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Helicoverpa punctigera (Native Budworm) at Conder, ACT - 11 Sep 2023 by michaelb
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Conder, ACT - 20 Aug 2023 by michaelb
Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) at Conder, ACT - 15 Aug 2023 by member2022
Alisterus scapularis (Australian King-Parrot) at Conder, ACT - 14 Aug 2023 by michaelb
Acacia rubida (Red-stemmed Wattle, Red-leaved Wattle) at Conder, ACT - 11 Aug 2023 by member2022
Hardenbergia violacea (False Sarsaparilla) at Conder, ACT - 11 Aug 2023 by member2022
Turdus merula (Eurasian Blackbird) at Conder, ACT - 2 Aug 2023 by michaelb
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Conder, ACT - 2 Aug 2023 by michaelb
Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Satin Bowerbird) at Conder, ACT - 2 Aug 2023 by michaelb
Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Satin Bowerbird) at Conder, ACT - 29 Jul 2023 by michaelb
Grallina cyanoleuca (Magpie-lark) at Conder, ACT - 9 Jul 2023 by michaelb
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Eastern Spinebill) at Conder, ACT - 7 Jul 2023 by michaelb
Alisterus scapularis (Australian King-Parrot) at Conder, ACT - 4 Jul 2023 by michaelb
Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo) at Conder, ACT - 27 Jun 2023 by michaelb
Epyaxa sodaliata (Sodaliata Moth, Clover Moth) at Conder, ACT - 3 Jun 2023 by michaelb
Strepera graculina (Pied Currawong) at Conder, ACT - 27 May 2023 by michaelb
Macropus giganteus (Eastern Grey Kangaroo) at Conder, ACT - 10 May 2023 by michaelb
Trichoglossus moluccanus (Rainbow Lorikeet) at Conder, ACT - 10 May 2023 by michaelb
Grallina cyanoleuca (Magpie-lark) at Conder, ACT - 10 May 2023 by michaelb
Correa alba var. alba (White Correa) at Conder, ACT - 3 May 2023 by michaelb
Rayieria acaciae (Acacia-spotting bug) at Conder, ACT - 3 May 2023 by michaelb
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Conder, ACT - 27 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Correa reflexa var. reflexa (Common Correa, Native Fuchsia) at Conder, ACT - 27 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Satin Bowerbird) at Conder, ACT - 23 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Holoplatys invenusta (Jumping spider) at Conder, ACT - 21 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Ctenolepisma longicaudatum (Silverfish) at Conder, ACT - 21 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Pterygophorus sp. (genus) (Long-tailed Sawfly) at Conder, ACT - 19 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Trombidiidae (family) (Red velvet mite) at Conder, ACT - 18 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Scolypopa australis (Passionvine hopper, Fluffy bum) at Conder, ACT - 17 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Robshelfordia simplex (Shelford's Western Cockroach) at Conder, ACT - 17 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Siphanta acuta (Green planthopper, Torpedo bug) at Conder, ACT - 17 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Trichoglossus moluccanus (Rainbow Lorikeet) at Conder, ACT - 14 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Parmeliaceae (family) (A lichen family) at Conder, ACT - 13 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Dicamptus fuscicornis (Ichneumon wasp) at Conder, ACT - 11 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Anestia (genus) (A tiger moth) at Conder, ACT - 8 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Heteronychus arator (African black beetle) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Polistes (Polistella) humilis (Common Paper Wasp) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Sturnus vulgaris (Common Starling) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Polistes (Polistes) chinensis (Asian paper wasp) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Melanacanthus scutellaris (Small brown bean bug) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Zosteria sp. (genus) (Common brown robber fly) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Polistes (Polistes) chinensis (Asian paper wasp) at Conder, ACT - 4 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Praxis marmarinopa (owlet moth) at Conder, ACT - 2 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Stenosmylus stenopterus (An Osmylid Lacewing) at Conder, ACT - 2 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Sidymella trapezia (Trapezoid Crab Spider) at Conder, ACT - 2 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Platycercus eximius (Eastern Rosella) at Conder, ACT - 2 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Alisterus scapularis (Australian King-Parrot) at Conder, ACT - 2 Apr 2023 by michaelb
Vespula germanica (European wasp) at Conder, ACT - 31 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Anzora unicolor (Grey Planthopper) at Conder, ACT - 30 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Spilopelia chinensis (Spotted Dove) at Conder, ACT - 22 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Oenothera lindheimeri (Clockweed) at Conder, ACT - 15 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Heteronympha merope (Common Brown Butterfly) at Conder, ACT - 15 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Cracticus torquatus (Grey Butcherbird) at Conder, ACT - 14 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Vespula germanica (European wasp) at Conder, ACT - 11 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Orthaga thyrisalis (Teatree Web Moth) at Conder, ACT - 2 Mar 2023 by michaelb
Phacodes personatus (Longhorn beetle) at Conder, ACT - 20 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Poecilometis strigatus (Gum Tree Shield Bug) at Conder, ACT - 20 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Convolvulus angustissimus subsp. angustissimus (Australian Bindweed) at Conder, ACT - 19 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Alisterus scapularis (Australian King-Parrot) at Conder, ACT - 14 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Platycercus eximius (Eastern Rosella) at Conder, ACT - 13 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Porela delineata (Lined Porela) at Conder, ACT - 7 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Philobota philostaura at Conder, ACT - 7 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Elhamma australasiae (Elhamma) at Conder, ACT - 7 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Elhamma australasiae (Elhamma) at Conder, ACT - 1 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Nemophora (genus) (A Fairy Moth) at Conder, ACT - 1 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple) at Pollinator-friendly garden Conder - 1 Feb 2023 by michaelb
Sturnus vulgaris (Common Starling) at Conder, ACT - 26 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Manorina melanocephala (Noisy Miner) at Conder, ACT - 26 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Anthochaera carunculata (Red Wattlebird) at Conder, ACT - 26 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Ptyoptila matutinella (Wingia Group) at Conder, ACT - 26 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Phalaenoides glycinae (Grapevine Moth) at Conder, ACT - 24 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Conder, ACT - 24 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Oedosmylus tasmaniensis (Lacewing) at Conder, ACT - 17 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Platycercus eximius (Eastern Rosella) at Conder, ACT - 16 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Cyperus eragrostis (Umbrella Sedge) at Conder, ACT - 11 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Conder, ACT - 10 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Pieris rapae (Cabbage White) at Conder, ACT - 10 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Ocybadistes walkeri (Green Grass-dart) at Conder, ACT - 10 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Hylaeus (Hylaeorhiza) nubilosus (A yellow-spotted masked bee) at Conder, ACT - 9 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Eupoecila australasiae (Fiddler Beetle) at Conder, ACT - 9 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Bursaria spinosa (Native Blackthorn, Sweet Bursaria) at Conder, ACT - 9 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Sericesthis nigrolineata (Dusky pasture scarab) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Paropsisterna cloelia (Eucalyptus variegated beetle) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Chrysodeixis eriosoma (Green Looper) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Obrida fascialis (One banded longicorn) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Mordella dumbrelli (Dumbrell's Pintail Beetle) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb
Eleale aspera (Clerid beetle) at Conder, ACT - 8 Jan 2023 by michaelb

1  2  3  4  5  6  »  13 

Location information

Sighting information

  • 4 - 15 Abundance
  • 25 Jan 2020 11:46 PM Recorded on
  • michaelb Recorded by

Additional information

  • Less than 5mm Animal size

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
2,148,925 sightings of 19,884 species in 6,408 locations from 11,278 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.