Moths Tineola bisselliella, Plodia interpunctella

Two different moths cause indoor grief: clothes moths eating wool in dark closets, and pantry moths whose larvae web up flour, rice, and pet food. The moth you see fluttering is the adult — the damage is done by larvae you don’t see, inside the fibers or the bag.

Moths — identification photo
Photo credit · CC BY-SA 2.5

Signs you have them

  • Small holes in wool, felt, or silk
  • Webbing at the fold seams of flour or rice bags
  • Slow-flying small moths from closets or pantry at dusk

What you can do today, free

  • Freeze suspect pantry goods 72 hours, then store in glass or thick plastic
  • Dry-clean or hot-wash wool before long storage; larvae eat dirty fibers first
  • Cedar smells nice but doesn’t work alone — use sealed storage

Questions, answered straight

Where are they actually coming from?

Pantry moths usually arrive inside a purchased package; clothes moths ride in on secondhand textiles. We trace the source item on a Pest Plan visit — spraying without finding it is theater.

Often found together