In Canada there are two types of moths that may infest a home or business: pantry moths and clothes moths. These moths are not dangerous but they can cause significant damage.
Pantry months are stored product pests, which means they eat and contaminate food often stored in the cupboard. The most common pantry moth in Canada is the Indian meal moth. This moth has a wingspan of about 5/8 inches (16 mm). About half of its wings are copper- to bronze in colour.
You may find wiggling moth larvae (tiny caterpillars) in infested food products.
The webbing clothes moth is shiny and golden in colour and has a fluffy pompadour of reddish golden hairs on its head. It is 6 to 8 mm long. The casemaking clothes moth is slightly smaller. It is buff to golden in colour and it has three dark spots on each wing. Clothes moths are fabric pests.
Clothes moth larvae eat wool clothes, hats, blankets, carpets, stuffed animals, upholstered furniture, piano felt, wall hangings and old rugs remnants in attics. They eat fur jackets, taxidermy animals, and items made with fur or feathers, including artwork. The larvae then make cocoons (pupae) and eventually emerge as adult moths.
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