Food Moths
Which moth do I have? How to identify moths in your home
Moths in the house are almost always pantry moths in the kitchen or clothes moths in the wardrobe. Where you see them usually tells you which one it is: near food an Indian meal moth, near wool and rugs a clothes moth. A large moth that flies to the light in the evening is usually an outdoor moth that came in through a window, not a pest. Use the table to identify your moth and see what to do.
In this article
Which moths do you find in a UK home?
In a UK home you mainly find these moths, plus two creatures that are often mistaken for them:
| Species | How to recognise it | Where in the house | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) | wingspan 10 to 15 mm, pale base and reddish brown wing tips | kitchen, food cupboard | get rid of pantry moths |
| Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella) | mottled grey, a little larger | kitchen, near flour and cereals | get rid of pantry moths |
| Common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) | small, plain golden, scuttles rather than flies | wardrobe, bedroom, rugs | get rid of clothes moths |
| Case-bearing clothes moth (Tinea pellionella) | grey brown with dark spots, larva carries a case | wardrobe, carpets, upholstery | get rid of clothes moths |
| Brown house moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) | wingspan 17 to 26 mm, dark brown wings with black spots | damp spots under cupboards, floors and carpets | remove damp, vacuum, clear out |
| White-shouldered house moth (Endrosis sarcitrella) | 7 to 9 mm, mottled brown with a white head and shoulders | near crumbs and fluff, radiators, old bird nests | clean thoroughly, clear fluff and old nests |
| Carpet beetle larva, not a moth | hairy brown woolly bear of about 4 mm | rugs, wardrobes, skirting boards | vacuum, freeze or clean |
| Drain fly, not a moth | tiny hairy fly with wings like a roof | bathroom, drains | clean the drain |
A drain fly belongs with the small flies; read more in small black flies in the house.
What does the brown house moth look like?
The brown house moth is a moth with dark brown wings with black spots and a wingspan of 17 to 26 mm, clearly bigger than a clothes moth. It likes damp places, and its larvae eat a wide range of materials, from wool, fur and linen to grain and cork. If you see it often, look for damp under floors, behind cupboards and in old stored items.
What are the small moths in my kitchen?
Small moths in the kitchen are almost always pantry moths, usually the Indian meal moth. You recognise it by its two coloured wings and by the signs in your food: fine webbing, clumps in flour or muesli and small white larvae. Read how to identify and get rid of pantry moths.
What are the small moths in my wardrobe?
Small moths in the wardrobe are usually common clothes moths: small, plain golden moths that run or flutter into the dark instead of flying off. Holes in wool or cashmere, silk tunnels and tiny droppings confirm it. Read how to identify and get rid of clothes moths.
What are the small brown larvae in my house?
Small brown, hairy larvae on rugs or along skirting boards are usually carpet beetle larvae, not moth larvae. The Natural History Museum calls them woolly bears: they are about 4 mm long and covered in hairs. Moth larvae are white to yellowish caterpillars with a brown head, either in food (pantry moths) or under silk tunnels on wool (clothes moths).
Why have I suddenly got lots of moths in my house?
Lots of moths at once almost always means there is a source in the house from which a whole generation has hatched. With pantry moths that is an infested packet of flour, nuts or pet food; with clothes moths a wardrobe of wool that has not been worn or washed for months. Warmth speeds this up, and in summer open windows let more moths in.
How do you get rid of moths in your house?
You get rid of moths in your house by clearing out the source, and that is different for each species:
- Pantry moths: empty the food cupboard, throw away infested food, freeze anything you are unsure about, vacuum the cracks and keep food sealed.
- Clothes moths: freeze affected clothes for at least two weeks at minus 18 °C or have them cleaned, vacuum the wardrobe and rugs, and only store clean clothes.
- Brown house moth and carpet beetle: remove damp, vacuum thoroughly under cupboards and along skirting boards, and clear out old damp items.
A moth trap with the pheromone of the right species then shows whether male moths are still flying about. The trap does not solve an infestation on its own, but it tells you whether your clear out is working.
Does one moth in the house mean an infestation?
No, one moth in the house does not mean an infestation: it can be an outdoor moth that came in through an open window. If you see moths in the same place more often, or find webbing in food or holes in wool, there is probably a source in the house. A pheromone trap in that spot shows within a few weeks whether there are more.
Read more: Pantry moths: how to identify and get rid of them · Clothes moths: how to identify and get rid of them · Moths in your kitchen cupboard: what to do now?
Sources
- Natural History Museum, London: clothes moths, Indian meal moth and carpet beetles identification guides.
- British Pest Control Association (BPCA): moth control, A to Z of pests (white-shouldered house moth).
- English Heritage: understanding clothes moth infestations.
- Kennis- en Adviescentrum Dierplagen (KAD, Dutch knowledge centre for animal pests), knowledge base: brown house moth.
