The worst offenders as far as man is concerned are the Common Clothes Moth and Case Bearing Moth. The larvae of these moths will eat any natural fibre containing Keratin.

The presence of the Case Bearing Moth can be detected by discarded silk tubes which held the larvae. These are off white and about 6-8mm in length. They will eat woollen carpet right back to the backing and will do substantial damage in a relatively short time, particularly under heavy furniture and along skirting’s.

Both moths eat natural fibres of wool, cotton, silk, feather and fur. They will not attack manmade materials. These moths rarely fly and only will when the temperature rises to 20 degrees Centigrade or higher. They scuttle about along the floor favouring dark hiding places. Infestations often come from bird, wasp or bee nests.

There are other moths which invade foodstores and pantries, These are meal or grain moths. They will lay eggs near sources of food and the larvae, when hatched will feed on the food. These will often be seen in grain, rice or cereal types of food, in biscuits, dog or even some bird foods.