tineid moth

tineid moth, (family Tineidae), any of a group of moths (order Lepidoptera) that includes several economically important clothes-moth species. Tineid moths generally have slender, elongated, fringed wings with a wingspan of 12 to 25 mm (0.5 to 1 inch) and dull, mottled coloration. They have long antennae and erect scales or hairs on their heads, giving them a “spiked” look. The larvae are scavengers, feeding chiefly on fungi or materials of animal origin. Many species have larvae that construct a silken case around themselves. Discovered in Paleogene deposits (about 50 million years old), tineid fossil remains probably represent some of the earliest lepidopteran forms.

The pale larvae of the clothes moth infest woolens, furs, and other animal products. Well-known species include the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella), the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), and the carpet, tapestry, or white-tip clothes moth (Trichophaga tapetzella). The larvae of the casemaking clothes moth use silk and fragments of food to construct a small, flat, oval case in which the larvae live and pupate. Clothes-moth larvae also attack synthetic or plant-fibre fabrics soiled with grease, sweat, or other animal products. Rubbish removal, prestorage cleaning, and repellants or pesticides are commonly used methods of control. The adult moths do not feed.