Description: The adult moths have a wingspread of about ½-inch; when the wings are folded the insect is about ¼-inch long. Wings are golden and the hairs on top of the head are a red-gold color. The antennae are darker than the rest of the body and the eyes are black. Adults are seldom seen because they avoid light. They are small caterpillars that are a clear to creamy-white color with a light brown head capsule.

Prevention is the best control of the clothes moths and carpet beetles. Thorough vacuuming of rugs and furniture, including crevices and perimeters, and dry cleaning of clothes is an effective means of control. Stored clothes should be kept in tightly closed containers with protectants such as mothballs. You should do these control measures before we come out to do our service, and continue them after we are done!

The moths and beetles can cause serious damage in a relatively short period of time, so that when you actually do see the pests, your problem could be well established.

Adult casemaking clothes moths are somewhat darker brown and slightly smaller than webbing clothes moth adults. The front wings have three dark spots but these distinguishing characteristics are often rubbed off. The larvae are small caterpillars that live within a small portable, silken case which they carry as they feed. The larvae have dark head capsules and the first thoracic segment (leg bearing segment) is dark brown or black.

Indian meal moth adults have a 5/8th-inch wingspread. The wings are burnished copper, almost purple color with a broad gray band near where they attach to the body. The larvae are small caterpillars with distinct on the first three body segments and four pairs of prolegs (false legs) on the abdomen. They are dirty white, pink, brown, or light green and range from 3/8-inch to ¾-inch long. The head and first body segment are brown.

Adult Mediterranean flour moths are ¼ to ½-long with a wingspan of a little less than 1 inch. The forewings are pale gray with wavy black lines running across them. The hind wings are dirty white. When the adult is at rest it pushes up with is front legs, making the wings look like they slope downward. The larvae are ½ to 2/3-inch long when fully developed. They are white or light pink with a dark head.

Adult Angoumois grain moths are small, buff or light brown insects that have a wingspan of ½ to 11/16-inch. The hind wings are gray and taper to a thumb like projection at their tips. The forewings and hind wings are fringed with long hairs.