IdentificationLow risk
What Are Carpet Moths?
Quick answer
Carpet moths, also called clothes moths, are small golden or brownish moths about 6–8 mm long whose caterpillars eat wool, silk, fur and feathers. The adults do no damage; the creamy-white larvae chew holes in carpets, rugs and clothes, usually in dark, undisturbed spots. Unlike pantry moths, they avoid light and are rarely seen in the kitchen.
Why this happens
The moths people call carpet moths and clothes moths are the same few species of small tineid moths. In Australian homes the most common are the webbing clothes moth, which is plain golden-buff, and the case-bearing clothes moth, which is browner with faint spots.
Their larvae can digest keratin, the protein in animal fibres. That is why they eat wool carpet but leave a nylon rug alone, and why a woollen jumper at the back of the wardrobe is damaged while the cotton shirts beside it aren’t.
Moths in the kitchen, or moths that fly to lights at night, are much more likely to be pantry moths, which feed on dry food. See why there are moths in my pantry.
What you may be seeing
- Small, narrow moths that flutter out of a wardrobe or from under furniture and hide again quickly.
- Irregular holes in woollens, or bare patches in a wool rug or carpet.
- Silk webbing, tunnels or small silk cases on fabric, with fine droppings the same colour as the fibre.
- Tiny cream caterpillars in or under damaged fabric.
What you can do
- Check what is being eaten: if only wool, silk, fur or feathers are damaged, moths or carpet beetles are the likely cause.
- Look for webbing or cases (moths) versus small hairy larvae and shed skins (carpet beetles). See carpet moth or carpet beetle.
- Find the source, usually a rug, a wardrobe or a stored item, before treating anything.
- Follow the steps in how to get rid of carpet moths.
When professional help may be needed
A few moths and one damaged jumper are usually manageable with cleaning and sealed storage. Consider a pest manager if damage is spreading across carpets in several rooms, keeps coming back after thorough cleaning, or threatens valuable rugs, furs or heirlooms.
Related pest
Species mentioned
Webbing Clothes Moth
Tineola bisselliella
The most common clothes and carpet moth in homes worldwide, including Australia. Its larvae eat wool, silk and fur under patches of silk webbing.
Case-bearing Clothes Moth
Tinea pellionella
A clothes moth whose larvae live inside a portable silk case made from the fibres they eat, so the case is often the same colour as the damaged fabric.
Related questions
Related guides
How to Pest-Proof Your Home
A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.
GuidePest Prevention Checklist
A printable seasonal checklist of simple, low-cost tasks that reduce pests around Australian homes, with the reason behind each step and extra lists for renters, apartment residents, pet owners and Queenslander owners.
Local information
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Sources & further reading
- Australian Museum — insects and spiders — Australian Museum
- CSIRO — insect and pest research — CSIRO
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