tineola bisselliella , known as the common clothes moth , webbing clothes moth , or simply clothing moth , is a species of fungus moth ( family tineidae , subfamily tineinae ) .

it is the type species of its genus tineola .

the specific name is commonly misspelled biselliella – for example by g. a. w. herrich-schäffer , when he established tineola in 1853 .

the larvae ( caterpillars ) of this moth are considered a serious pest , as they can derive nourishment from clothing – in particular wool , but many other natural fibers – and also , like most related species , from stored foods , such as grains .

tineola bisselliella

species tineola bisselliella - webbing clothes moth - hodges # 426 - bugguide . net
tineola bisselliella ( common clothes moth ) - norfolk micro moths - the micro moths of norfolk .
this thesaurus page is about all possible synonyms , equivalent , same meaning and similar words for the term tineola bisselliella .
fig . 5 illustrates graphical data of responses by adult t . bisselliella to virgin male or female t . bisselliella .
p . trematerra and f . fontana , monitoring of webbing clothes moth . tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) , by sex pheromone , anz . schadlingskunde pflanzenschutz umweltschutz 69 , 119 - 121 ( 1996 ) .
6 . analysis and bioassays of sex pheromone components produced by female t . bisselliella
17 . trematerra , p . and f . fontana . 1996 . monitoring of webbing clothes moth tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) , by sex pheromone . anz . schädlingskunde pflanzenschutz umweltschutz . 69 : 119 - 121 .
7 . development of an optimal bait for attraction of male and female t . bisselliella
13 . kan e . and y . waku . 1985 . analysis of oviposition preference in the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella hum . ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) appl . ent . zool . 20 : 322 - 330 .
fig . 6 illustrates flame ionization detector ( fid ) and electroantennographic detector ( ead : male t . bisselliella antenna ) responses to one male equivalent of male t . bisselliella body .
fig . 10 illustrates flame ionization detector ( fid ) and electroantennographic detector ( ead : male t . bisselliella antenna ) responses to one female equivalent of female t . bisselliella pheromone gland extract .
fig . 9 illustrates graphical data of captures of male , gravid female or virgin female t . bisselliella in traps baited with sonic signals recorded from male t . bisselliella or baited with white noise .
21 . behrenz , w . and g . savetti . 1989 . agents for combating tineola biselliella . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 845 , 131 .
this invention relates to a composition and procedure for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) . in particular , this invention relates to the use of specific semiochemical and sonic signals for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moths .
p . d . cox , et al . , monitoring populations of the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella , using pheromone lures . in : k . b . wildey ( ed . ) proceedings of the second international conference on insect pests in the urban environment , 541 - 545 .
the most common species of moth found in hertfordshire and the rest of the uk are the brown house moth ( hofmannophila pseudospretella ) , common clothes moth ( tineola bisselliella ) , case - bearing clothes moth ( tinea pellionella ) & the white - shouldered house moth ( endrosis sarcitrella ) .
fig . 11 illustrates graphical data of captures of male t . bisselliella in traps baited with synthetic female pheromone components .
fig . 2 illustrates flame ionization detector ( fid ) and electroantennographic detector ( ead ♂ : male t . bisselliella antenna ; ead ♀ : gravid female t . bisselliella antenna ) responses to 5 pelt - min of squirrel pelt volatile extract .
fig . 1 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with potential larval habitat .
common throughout the united states , the larvae of clothes moths ( tineola bisselliella ) attack garments , carpets , furs , blankets , upholstery , piano felts , brush bristles and a number of other related items . read on to learn our 8 step treatment program to control a clothes moth infestation naturally and save big money doing it yourself !
14 . tranyier , r . m . m . , r . k . schumacher , and d . m . lau , 1994 . oviposition site selection by tineola bisselliella , tinea spp . ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) and anthrenus flavipes ( coleoptera : dermestidae ) . j . stor . prod . res . 30 : 321 - 329 .
database cropu ′online ! d . k . mueller :
the pratical use of the new pheromone for webbing clothes moth ( tineola bisselliella )
retrieved from stn - international ; database accession no . 1996 - 83104 cropu xp002221078 ; abstract ; & procbrit . pest contr . assoc . conf . , 1995 , p . 123 - 124 .
webbing clothes moths , tineola bisselliella ( hum . ) ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) , invade and cause damage in households , textile and fur warehouses , and museums throughout the world ( 1 - 3 ) . in temperate regions , they are economically important , causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage in north america each year ( 4 ) .
database cropu ' online ! d . k . mueller :
the pratical use of the new pheromone for webbing clothes moth ( tineola bisselliella )
retrieved from stn - international ; database accession no . 1996 - 83104 cropu xp002221078 ; abstract ; & procbrit . pest contr . assoc . conf . , 1995 , p . 123 - 124 .
odours from dried yeast localized oviposition on fabric by tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) , tinea translucens meyrick and tinea pellionella l . in choice experiments in the laboratory . in tineola bisselliella this effect was augmented by odours from the faeces from conspecific larvae that had eaten a favourable diet containing dried yeast . in contrast with these lepidoptera , oviposition by anthrenus flavipes leconte was unaffected by yeast odours and deterred by odours from conspecific cultures . blood - stains did not influence ovipositional choice . some plant phenolics and flavonoids and quinones incompletely deterred oviposition . both vegetable oils and fatty acids from wool wax deterred oviposition equally well when present in large amounts . treatment of wool to control micro - organisms might reduce insect damage indirectly .
16 . cox , p . d . , d . b . pinniger , d . mueller . monitoring populations of the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella , using pheromone lures . in : wildey , k . b . ( ed . ) proceedings of the second international conference on insect pests in the urban environment . pp . 541 - 545 .
in arena bioassay experiments ( employing the general protocol as described on page 7 , lines 22 - 31 , paragraph [ 0041 ] ) , played - back sound from male t . bisselliella attracted male , gravid female and virgin female t . bisselliella ( fig . 9 ) .
the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella , and casemaking clothes moth , tinea pellionella , can be fabric pests in california . they tend to hide when disturbed , so you might not notice you have an infestation until after the moths have already damaged your fabric , fur , or feathered items . close examination of the objects will reveal silken webs the larvae have spun .
fig . 3 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with natural or synthetic volatiles from larval habitat .
fig . 12 illustrates graphical data of captures of male or gravid female t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination .
fig . 13 illustrates graphical data of captures of male or gravid female t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination .
fig . 15 illustrates graphical data of captures of gravid female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination .
9 . a combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the chemical composition is contained in , and released from , a trap that captures attracted t . bisselliella , and the sonic signal is generated by a sonic apparatus that is contained in or associated with the trap that captures attracted t . bisselliella .
fig . 7 illustrates graphical data of captures of male , gravid female , or virgin female t . bisselliella in traps baited with synthetic male pheromone components .
3 . a composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the composition is contained in , and released from , a trap that captures attracted t . bisselliella .
fig . 4 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with the synthetic chemicals geranylacetone and nonanal or dried muskrat pelt .
these results indicate that male t . bisselliella produce signals that attract males and females , and that females produce signals exciting to males only at very close range .
11 . gerard , p . j . , n . b . perry , l . d . ruf , l . m . foster . 1993 . antifeedant and insecticidal activity of compounds from pseudowintera colorata ( winteraceae ) on the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) and the australian carpet beetle , anthrenocerus australis ( coleoptera : dermestidae ) . bull . entomol . res . 83 : 547 - 552 .
database biosis ′online ! biosciences information service , philadeophia , pa , us ; 1996 ; trematerra p . et al . :
monitoring of webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) , by sex pheromone
; database accession no . prev199699182673 xp 002221074 ; abstract ; & anzeiber fuer schaedlingskunde pflanzenschutz umweltschutz , vol . 69 , no . 5 , 1996 , p . 119 - 121 ; issn : 0340 - 7330 .
database biosis ' online ! biosciences information service , philadeophia , pa , us ; 1996 ; trematerra p . et al . :
monitoring of webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) , by sex pheromone
; database accession no . prev199699182673 xp 002221074 ; abstract ; & anzeiber fuer schaedlingskunde pflanzenschutz umweltschutz , vol . 69 , no . 5 , 1996 , p . 119 - 121 ; issn : 0340 - 7330 .
fig . 14 illustrates graphical data of captures of virgin female , gravid female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination .
fig . 5 illustrates graphical data of responses of adult t . bisselliella in binary choice bioassays to two confined virgin adult t . bisselliella . numbers of individuals responding to each stimulus are given in parentheses beside bars . asterisks indicate a significant preference for a particular treatment [ fisher exact test ( p < 0 . 05 ) ] .
the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella , and the casemaking clothes moth , tinea pellionella , are occasional fabric pests in michigan . clothes moths are weak flyers and are not attracted to lights . they tend to hide when disturbed , and for this reason , infestations of clothes moths are not usually noticed until damaged woolens , furs , or feathers are found . close examination of the objects reveals the presence of silken webs that are spun by the larvae .
fig . 16 illustrates graphical data of captures of gravid female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with newly identified synthetic attractants , a commercial bait or a solvent control .
the signal can be generated by a sonic apparatus contained in or associated with a trap that captures attracted t . bisselliella . the sonic apparatus can be an electronically activated sonic microchip .
similarly , in experiments 52 , 53 , and 54 all stimuli combined ( ♀p + ♂p + sonic + nas ) attracted more virgin female , gravid female , and male t . bisselliella than did a combination of chemical stimuli ( ♀p + ♂p + nas ) or played back sonic signals ( sonic ) from male t . bisselliella ( fig . 14 ) .
the composition can be contained in , or released from , slow release devices . the composition can be contained in , and released from , a trap that captures attracted t . bisselliella .
the common clothes moth , tineola bisselliella , has been blamed for munching its way into homes across britain . but it’s actually the larvae , not the moths , which cause the damage . clothes moths have a life cycle of 65 to 90 days , during which time they can lay 40 to 50 eggs . the tiny white grubs burrow into fabric , leaving behind trails that look like cobwebs . by the time you see the adult moths flying around , your infestation maybe in full flow .
fig . 8 illustrates waveform ( a ) , frequency ( b ) , and time - frequency sound intensity ( c ) of wing - beat caused sonic signals recorded from male t . bisselliella .
in experiments 49 , 50 and 51 , animal pelt ( nas ) attracted more virgin female , gravid female , and male t . bisselliella than did a combination of female pheromone ( ♀p ) , male pheromone ( ♂p ) and played - back sonic signals from male t . bisselliella ; all stimuli combined ( ♀p + ♂p + sonic + nas ) were significantly most attractive ( fig . 14 ) .
the common clothes moth , or tineola bisselliella , has been blamed for munching its way into homes across britain . but it’s the larvae , not the moths , that are responsible for the damage . clothes moths have a life cycle of between 65 and 90 days , during which time they can lay around 50 eggs . the tiny white grubs live in silken tubes , leaving trails resembling cobwebs as they burrow into piles of fabric . by the time you see adult moths flying around , it may be too late to stop an infestation .
semiochemicals ( message - bearing chemicals ) that attract t . bisselliella to larval habitat and intra - specific sexual communication signals have hardly been investigated . larva and adult t . bisselliella are attracted to fishmeal , fish oil , and dried meat ( 12 ) . females select oviposition sites based on their physical stimuli ( 13 ) , or volatiles ( 14 ) . e2 , z13 - octadecadienal and e2 - octadecenal are reported sex pheromone components of t . bisselliella ( 15 ) , but these compounds are only moderately attractive ( 16 , 17 ) and unreliable for practical control situations ( t . konicek , person . communication ) .
fig . 17 illustrates a potential trap design , said trap baited with a sound - emitting micro - chip and a semiochemical dispenser for attraction and capture of t . bisselliella and other keratin - feeding insects .
in experiments 55 and 56 , a combination of synthetic female pheromone ( ♀p ) , synthetic male pheromone ( ♂p ) , synthetic semiochemicals ( ss : identified from animal pelt ; see fig . 4 ) , and played - back sonic signals ( sonic ) from male t . bisselliella attracted more gravid female and male t . bisselliella than did chemical ( ♀p + ♂p + ss ) or sonic signals alone ( fig . 15 ) .
fig . 1 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with larval habitat . asterisks on bar indicate a significant difference [ wilcoxon paired - sample test ( p < 0 . 05 ) ] .
pesticides are used to treat or prevent larval infestations of t . bisselliella . physical control methods include vacuum ( 3 ) , repeated cooling and heating ( 9 ) , and sanitation of potential infestation sites ( 2 , 4 ) . use of naturally occurring chemicals for control of t . bisselliella is increasingly preferred by the public ( 4 ) . these chemicals include feeding inhibitors , repellents , and plant - based insecticides ( 10 , 11 ) . there is no suitable method yet for detection of incipient infestations .
in arena bioassay experiments 34 - 37 ( employing the general protocol described on page 7 , lines 22 - 31 , paragraph [ 0041 ] ) synthetic e2 , z13 - 18 : oh and e2 , z13 - 18 : ald proved to be the sex pheromone components that attracted male t . bisselliella . this 2 - component blend , even at very low quantity , attracted more male t . bisselliella than did 2 virgin females confined in a nylon mesh cage ( exp . 37 ) ( fig . 11 ) .
in experiments 41 and 42 , synthetic male pheromone components ( 16 : ester and z9 - 16 : ester ) in combination with played - back sonic signals from male t . bisselliella attracted more gravid females and males than did either stimulus alone ( fig . 12 ) .
fig . 4 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with synthetic geranylacetone ( 44 ng ) and nonanal ( 3 . 5 μg ) or dried muskrat pelt [ wilcoxon paired - sample test ( p < 0 . 05 ) ] .
in experiments 47 and 48 , animal pelt ( nas ) attracted more gravid female and male t . bisselliella than did synthetic female plus male pheromone ( ♂p + ♀p ) ; the combination of animal pelt plus male and female pheromone was most attractive ( fig . 13 ) .
the essence of the invention is the preparation and implementation of these stimuli for manipulating the behaviour of t . bisselliella . stimuli can be used in all possible combinations and ratios . stimuli compositions can be contained in , and emitted from , slow release devices or sonic microchips . devices can be held in traps to capture attracted male and female t . bisselliella . the invention can be used as a diagnostic tool to help decide whether and when control of insects that feed on fur , fabric and other keratin containing products is warranted and as a means for protection of fur , fabric and other keratin containing products .
fig . 9 illustrates graphical data of captures of male , gravid female or virgin female t . bisselliella in traps baited with sonic signals recorded from male t . bisselliella or baited with gaussian white noise . asterisks on bar indicate a significant difference [ wilcoxon paired - sample test ( p < 0 . 05 ) ] . recordings were digitally filtered and played back at biologically relevant levels ( 55 db at 2 . 5 cm ) through sennheisser hv 70 headphone speakers using programs developed in labview ( ni ) for the daq boards . this recording was automatically rerun every 26 min during the 12 hour bioassay period .
this invention relates to a composition and procedure for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moth , tineola bisselliella ( hummel ) ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) . in particular , this invention relates to the use of specific semiochemical and sonic signals for manipulating the behaviour of the webbing clothes moths . a composition of chemicals for manipulating the behaviour of clothes moths , said composition comprising two or more chemicals in all possible combinations and ratios selected from the group consisting of : 1 ) ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ; 2 ) ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ; 3 ) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ; 4 ) ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ; 5 ) nonanal ; 6 ) geranylacetone ; 7 ) octanal ; 8 ) decanal ; 9 ) nonenal ; 10 ) octenal ; 11 ) decenal .
both virgin females and virgin males preferred the chamber containing capsules with male t . bisselliella ( exps . 24 , 25 ) . virgin females avoided other females , and virgin males were not attracted to virgin females ( exp . 27 ) ( fig . 5 ) , but exhibited excitatory behaviour in contact with capsules containing virgin females .
in experiment 57 , a combination of synthetic male pheromone ( ♂p ) , synthetic female pheromone ( ♀p ) , and synthetic semiochemicals ( ss ) identified from larval habitat attracted more female and male t . bisselliella than did a commercial lure , which in turn was not more attractive than a solvent ( hexane ) control stimulus ( fig . 16 ) .
fig . 11 illustrates graphical data of captures of male t . bisselliella in traps baited with ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 - octadecadienol ( e2 , z13 - 18 : oh ) and ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( e2 , z13 - 18 : ald ) in various ratios , solvent , or virgin female t . bisselliella . synthetic chemicals were dispensed from whatman # 1 filter paper . females were confined in a nylon mesh cage . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ wilcoxon paired - sample test ( p < 0 . 05 ) or kruskal wallis test with tukey type non - parametric multiple comparison ( p < 0 . 05 ) . ]
in arena bioassay experiments 29 - 31 ( following the general protocol as described on page 7 , lines 22 - 31 , paragraph [ 0041 ] ) , hexadecanoic acid methyl ester and ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester proved to be the sex pheromone components that attracted both male and virgin female t . bisselliella ( fig . 7 ) .
in experiment 44 , synthetic male pheromone in combination with synthetic female pheromone attracted more males than did male or female pheromone alone ( fig . 12 ) . in experiments 45 and 46 , female and male pheromone in combination with played back sonic signals from males attracted more gravid female and male t . bisselliella than did pheromonal or sonic signals alone ( fig . 12 ) .
fig . 12 illustrates graphical data of captures of male or gravid female t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination , as follows : ♂p = synthetic male pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 840 ng ) ; ♀p = synthetic female pheromone components : ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ( 1 ng ) plus ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) ; sonic = sonic signals recorded from male t . bisselliella ( see fig . 8 ) . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ anova with tukey multiple comparison ( p < 0 . 05 ) ] .
fig . 8 illustrates waveform ( a ) , frequency ( b ) , and time - frequency sound intensity ( c ) of a sonic signal recorded from male t . bisselliella . top : calling male > 5 cm away from other moths ; bottom : calling male < 5 cm away from other . the more intense the shading in diagram c , the more intense the frequency component of the signal .
t . bisselliella inhabits well - sheltered bird nests , dry corpses and animal lairs that are not exposed to direct light ( 5 - 7 ) . adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not cause damage . larvae , however , feed year round on keratin contained in woollen goods , hair , feathers , and other animal - based products like clothing , rugs , and furniture ( 5 ) . exploratory feeding also damages synthetic textiles ( 8 ) .
we reveal stimuli which singly or in combination attract male and female t . bisselliella . these stimuli include : 1 . semiochemicals from larval habitat ( mainly nonanal and geranylacetone ) that attract males and females ; 2 . female - produced sex pheromone components [ ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol and ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ] that attract males ; 3 . male - produced sex pheromone components ( hexadecanoic acid methyl ester and z9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ) that attract males and females ; and 4 . male - produced sonic signals ( primary frequencies : 50 + / −10 hz ; 70 / + −10 hz ; 110 + / −20 hz ; 140 + / −20 hz and their harmonics ) that attract males and females . we further reveal that combinations of these signals result in a bait optimally attractive to male and female t . bisselliella .
in arena bioassay experiments ( following the general protocol as described on page 7 , lines 22 - 31 , paragraph [ 0041 ] ) male and gravid female t . bisselliella preferred porapak q volatile extract from red squirrel pelt over a pentane control ( exp . 16 , 17 ) , and also a blend of 29 synthetic squirrel pelt volatiles ( sb - 1 ) over a pentane control ( exps . 18 , 19 ) ( fig . 3 ) .
fig . 10 illustrates flame ionization detector ( fid ) and electroantennographic detector ( ead : male t . bisselliella antenna ) responses to one female equivalent of female t . bisselliella pheromone gland extract . ead - active compounds 1 - 3 were identified as 1 . ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ( e2 , z13 - 18 : oh ) and 2 . ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( e2 , z13 - 18 : ald ) . chromatography : hewlett packard ( hp ) 5890a gas chromatograph equipped with a fused silica column ( 30 m×0 . 32 mm id ) coated with db - 23 ( j & w scientific , folsom , calif . 95630 ) ; linear flow velocity of carrier gas : 35 cm / sec ; injector and fid detector temperature : 240° c . ; temperature program : 1 min at 50° c . , 10° c . / min to 200° c .
the bodies of two hundred 24 - 48 hour old virgin male t . bisselliella were extracted for 15 min in methanol . analyses of these extracts by coupled gas chromatographic electroantennographic detection ( gc - ead ) revealed 3 antennally - active compounds ( fig . 6 ) which were identified by gc - mass spectrometry as 1 . ) hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ; 2 . ) ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ; and 3 . ) octadecanoic acid methyl ester .
fig . 6 illustrates flame ionization detector ( fid ) and electroantennographic detection ( ead : male t . bisselliella antenna ) responses to one male equivalent of male t . bisselliella body extract . ead - active compounds 1 - 3 were identified by gc - mass spectrometry as 1 . hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ; 2 . ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ; and 3 . octadecanoic acid methyl ester . similar responses were observed with female antennae . chromatography : hewlett packard ( hp ) 5890a gas chromatograph equipped with a fused silica column ( 30 m×0 . 32 mm id ) coated with db - 23 ( j & w scientific , folsom , calif . 95630 ) ; linear flow velocity of carrier gas : 35 cm / sec ; injector and fid detector temperature : 240° c . ; temperature program : 1 min at 50° c . , 10° c . / min to 200° c . ead - active compounds were identified by gc - mass spectrometry ( ms ) in full scan electron impact ( ei ) mode using a varian saturn ii ion trap gc - ms .
fig . 7 illustrates graphical data of captures of male , gravid female , or virgin female t . bisselliella in traps baited with hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 16 : ester , 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( z9 - 16 : ester , 840 ng ) or octadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 18 : ester , 840 ng ) . for each experimental replicate , test stimuli in traps were dispensed from whatman # 1 filter paper . asterisks on bar indicate a significant difference [ wilcoxon paired - sample test ( p < 0 . 01 ) ] .
we investigated the hypothesis that aggregation signals produced by male webbing clothes moths ( wcm ) , tineola bisselliella ( hum . ) ( lepidoptera : tineidae ) , and close - range male attractant signals produced by females have a pheromonal basis , at least in part . gas chromatographic - electroantennographic detection ( gc - ead ) and gc - mass spectrometric analyses of bioactive methanolic extracts of male wcm disclosed three candidate pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 16 : ester ) , ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( z 9—16 : ester ) , and octadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 18 : ester ) . in bioassay experiments in a large plexiglas™ arena , a blend of synthetic 16 : ester plus z9—16 : ester was attractive to male and virgin ( but not mated ) female wcm ; the 18 : ester was inactive . gc - ead analyses of pheromone gland extracts from female wcm revealed ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 - octadecadienal ( e 2 z 13—18 : ald ) and ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 - octadecadienol ( e 2 z 13—18 : oh ) as candidate sex pheromone components . in arena bioassay experiments , 1—5 female equivalents of synthetic e 2 z 13—18 : ald ( 0 . 2 ng ) and e 2 z 13—18 : oh ( 0 . 1 ng ) were more attractive to male wcm than were two virgin female wcm . we anticipate that the combination of aggregation and sex pheromones , male - produced sonic aggregation signals , and habitat - derived semiochemicals will be highly effective in attracting male and female wcm to commercial traps .
stimuli tested singly and in combination included : a ) synthetic male pheromone components 16 : ester and z9 - 16 : ester ( see figs . 6 and 7 ) ; b ) recorded sonic signals from male t . bisselliella ( see figs . 8 and 9 ) ; c ) synthetic female pheromone components e2 , z13 - 18 : oh and e2 , z13 - 18 : ald ( see figs . 10 and 11 ) ; d ) animal pelt ( = natural larval habitat , see fig . 1 ) ; e ) synthetic semiochemicals nonanal plus geranylacetone ( see figs . 2 , 3 and 4 ) . all bioassay experiments were conducted using the general protocol described on page 7 , lines 22 - 31 , paragraph [ 0041 ] .
fig . 13 illustrates graphical data of captures of male or gravid female t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination as follows : ♀p = synthetic female pheromone components : ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ( 1 ng ) plus ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) ; ♂p = synthetic male pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 840 ng ) ; nas = natural semiochemicals : dried muskrat pelt ( 50 cm 2 ) . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ anova with tukey multiple comparison of arcsine transformed proportions ( α = 0 . 05 ) ] .
fig . 14 illustrates graphical data of captures of virgin female , gravid female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with various test stimuli singly or in combination as follows : ♀p = synthetic female pheromone components : ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 - octadecadienol ( 1 ng ) plus ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) ; ♂p = synthetic male pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 840 ng ) ; nas = natural semiochemicals : dried muskrat pelt ( 50 cm 2 ) . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ anova with tukey multiple comparison of arcsine transformed proportions ( α = 0 . 05 ) ] .
tactic responses of t . bisselliella to volatile stimuli from larval habitat were assessed in a closed cylindrical plexiglas container ( 125 cm diameter , 60 cm height ) . thin cardboard discs ( 10 cm diameter ) coated with tanglefoot on the upper side were placed on the arena floor 80 cm apart from each other . platforms suspended above the centre of the coated discs supported randomly assigned test or control stimuli . control stimuli consisted of cardboard silhouettes visually resembling test stimuli . per experiment 10 replicates with 25 adult moths each were employed . moths were released during the scotophase from a petri dish in the centre of the arena after 30 - min of acclimation . after 12 hours of experimental time , moths captured on sticky discs ( fig . 1 ) were recorded as responders and statistically analysed .
fig . 15 illustrates graphical data of captures of female and male t . bisselliella in traps baited with stimuli singly or in combination as follows : ♀p = synthetic female pheromone components : ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ( 1 ng ) plus ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) ; ♂p = synthetic male pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 840 ng ) ; ss = synthetic semiochemicals : geranylacetone ( 44 ng ) and nonanal ( 3 . 5 μg ) ( see fig . 4 ) . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ anova with tukey multiple comparison of arcsine transformed proportions ( α = 0 . 05 ) ] .
to determine the sex that emits or responds to sexual communication signals , four experiments were conducted using a bioassay with 3 interconnected identical chambers ( each chamber : 10 cm diam . ×2 cm height ; passage 0 . 5 cm interior diam . ×2 . 5 cm length ) ( 29 ) . for each replicate , one side chamber was randomly baited with two perforated gelatin capsules [ ( 2 . 5×0 . 9 cm ) with 7 perforations ( 0 . 3 mm ) at both ends ] each containing a virgin t . bisselliella on wool fabric while the other side chamber contained two empty perforated gelatin capsules on wool fabric . virgin adult moths were released individually into the centre chamber 1 hour prior to dusk and their position recorded 16 hours later ( 1 hour after dawn ) . moths in side chambers were included in statistical analyses . each replicate employed a new device , wool fabric , and virgin moth .
fig . 16 illustrates graphical data of captures of female and male t . bisselliella in traps baited with the following stimuli : ♀p = synthetic female pheromone components : ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienol ( 1 ng ) plus ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) ; ♂p = synthetic male pheromone components : hexadecanoic acid methyl ester ( 480 ng ) plus ( z ) - 9 - hexadecenoic acid methyl ester ( 840 ng ) ; ss = synthetic semiochemicals : synthetic geranylacetone ( 44 ng ) and nonanal ( 3 . 5 μg ) ( see fig . 4 ) . the commercial lure consisted of ( e , z ) - 2 , 13 : octadecadienal ( 2 ng ) plus ( e ) - 2 - octadecanal ( 1 ng ) . hexane served as the solvent control . all chemicals were dispensed from whatman # 1 filter paper . bars with different letters indicate a significant difference [ anova with tukey multiple comparison of arcsine transformed proportions ( α = 0 . 05 ) ] .
there are many patents listed in the patent database under the keyword t . bisselliella ( scientific species name for webbing clothes moth ) or misspellings thereof . most of these patents are concerned with pesticides , reporting that insects including clothes moths are killed by active ingredient ( s ) . these active ingredients are very different from the attractive semiochemicals claimed in the subject application . other patents are concerned with pest control devices , such as u . s . pat . no . 4 , 484 , 315 “ultrasonic pest control device” ( 20 ) , or u . s . pat . no . 4 , 616 , 351 , “pest control apparatus” ( 19 ) , reporting the use of ultrasonic waves for control of pests , including clothes moths . the frequency of sonic waveforms as claimed for attraction and control of t . bisselliella in the subject application is in the audible low frequency range . additional patents are concerned with chemicals that repel keratin - feeding pests including clothes moths . diphenylurea and one synthetic pyrethroid ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 057 , 539 ) ( 20 ) , isoborneol ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 845 , 131 ) ( 21 ) , pyridyloxytrifluoromethanesulfonanilides ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 731 , 090 ) ( 22 ) , 5 - pyridyloxy - or thiothenylcarbamoyl ) barbituric acid ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 602 , 912 ) ( 23 ) , 5 - phenylcarbamoylbarbituric acid ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 283 , 444 ) ( 24 ) , n′ - alkyl - n′ - ( 3 , 5 - dimethylbenzoyl ) - n - ( substituted benzoyl ) - hydrazine ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 358 , 967 ) ( 25 ) , phenoxytrifluoromethanesulfoanilides ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 664 , 673 ) ( 26 ) , and incense cedar associated with a multi - garment hanger device ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 582 , 334 ) ( 27 ) are all claimed to protect keratinous material from attack by insects that feed on keratin . all these repellents are very different from the attractive semiochemicals claimed in this application .
sound produced by individual or groups of males was recorded to hard disk by a pentium 166 computer equipped with high - speed data acquisition boards ( daq , ni ; pci - mio - 16xe - 10 ; 16 bit , 100 khz maximum sampling rate ) . recordings employed a ½ - in condenser microphone ( akg c 460 b comb - uls / 61 ) , phantom power supply ( atus audio technica cp 8508 24 v . ) and signal amplification of 200 times with a differential amplifier ( ni ; sc - 2040 ) and a sampling frequency of 43 . 2 khz . sonic signals recorded from male t . bisselliella comprised two dominant frequencies at 50 + / −10 hz and 110 + / −20 hz with 1 to 2 harmonics ( 165 + / −30 : 220 + / −40 ) occasionally identified when other clothes moths were > 5 cm from the signaller . when other moths were < 5 cm from the signaller , dominant frequencies were 70 + / −10 hz and 140 + / −20 hz with 2 - 3 additional harmonics ( 210 + / −30 hz ; 280 + / −40 hz ) ( fig . 8 ) .
fig . 3 illustrates graphical data of captures of female or male t . bisselliella in traps baited with porapak q volatile extract from red squirrel pelt ( 75 pelt - min ) , a blend of synthetic pelt volatiles ( sb - 1 ) or a pentane solvent control . compounds in sb - 1 consisted of nonanal ( 400 . 0 ) ; decanal ( 100 . 0 ) ; 6 . dodecanal ( 20 . 0 ) ; 7 . tridecanal ( 24 . 0 ) ; 8 . tetradecanal ( 25 . 0 ) ; 9 . pentadecanal ( 4 . 0 ) ; 10 . hexadecanal ( 5 . 0 ) ; 11 . heptadecanal ( 3 . 5 ) ; 12 . octadecanal ( 0 . 5 ) ; 13 . heptanol ( 50 . 0 ) ; 14 . nonanol ( 50 . 0 ) ; 15 . decanol ( 60 . 0 ) ; 16 . undecanol ( 1000 . 0 ) ; 17 . dodecanol ( 100 . 0 ) ; 18 . tridecanol ( 350 . 0 ) ; 19 . tetradecanol ( 15 . 0 ) ; 20 . pentadecanol ( 10 . 0 ) ; 21 . hexadecanol ( 1 . 5 ) ; 22 . heptadecanol ( 1 . 5 ) ; 23 . octadecanol ( 0 . 5 ) ; 24 . tetradecane ( 100 . 0 ) ; 25 . pentadecane ( 500 . 0 ) ; 26 . hexadecane ( 500 . 0 ) ; 27 . eicosane ( 100 . 0 ) ; 28 . uneicosane ( 3 . 5 ) ; 29 . 2 - undecanal ( 20 . 0 ) ; 30 . e2 - nonenal ( 45 . 0 ) ; 31 . e2 - decenal ( 55 . 0 ) ; 32 . geranylacetone ( 5 . 0 ) .
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casemaking clothes moth . the dark spots on the wings distinguish it from the webbing clothes moth .
cases from the casemaking clothes moth . cases take on the color of the fabric being consumed .
webbing clothes moth larvae with particles of excrement ( frass ) and other debris .
the webbing clothes moth is the most common fabric moth . the adult is gold with reddish - golden hairs on the top of its head . a row of golden hairs fringes its wings , which have a span of about 1 / 2 inch . because these moths are weak flyers that aren ' t attracted to lights , you ' ll usually find them close to the infested items , such as in a dark area of the closet .
don ' t confuse the clothes moth with common food - and grain - infesting moths , which frequently fly around the house . at rest , clothes moths are only about 1 / 4 inch long , while most food - infesting moths are about double that length . clothes moths usually fly around only the immediate area of the house where the infestation has occurred , and their flight pattern is distinctive—they tend to flutter about rather than fly in a direct , steady manner as do food - infesting moths . food - infesting moths also don ' t have the little tufts of hair on their head . to confirm you have a clothes moth , catch one and examine its head with a magnifying glass or hand lens .
the casemaking clothes moth is similar in size and appearance to the webbing clothes moth , although the wings of the casemaking clothes moth are more brownish and have faint dark - colored spots . also , the hairs on its head are lighter colored than those of the webbing clothes moth .
larvae of both species are nearly identical , except the larvae of the casemaking clothes moth always carry a silken case with them as they feed . they never leave this silken case behind but enlarge it as they grow . they can feed from either end of the case and retreat into it when disturbed . this case takes on the color of the fabric the larvae have eaten . webbing clothes moth larvae don ' t carry around feeding cases but may produce patches of silk webbing , which accumulate excrement and particles of fabric the larvae are feeding on , to create temporary feeding tubes . when webbing clothes moths move on to new feeding locations , they leave the feeding tubes and webbing behind .
excrement from both the webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth can contain dyes from the cloth fibers the moths have eaten , also making it the same color as the fabric .
females of both species lay an average of 40 to 50 eggs during a 2 - to 3 - week period and die once they ' ve completed the egg - laying process . males outlive females and continue to mate during the remainder of their lives . an adhesive secretion attaches the eggs to the fabric threads . eggs hatch in 4 to 10 days during warm weather .
larvae molt 5 to 45 times , depending on indoor temperatures and the type of food available . the larval period lasts 35 days to 2 1 / 2 years . larvae are shiny white , and their head capsules are dark - colored . they spin webbing as they feed , with the webbing clothes moth creating a temporary silken feeding tube or tunnel and the casemaking clothes moth creating a permanent silken case that larvae carry with them as they move around . when larvae of the casemaking clothes moth are ready to pupate , they wander away from their food source to find crevices . with the webbing clothes moth , pupation takes place inside a silken cocoon , usually on the fabric .
pupation lasts 8 to 10 days in summer and 3 to 4 weeks in winter . heated buildings enable clothes moths to continue developing during winter months . generally , developmental time for the clothes moth from egg to egg is between four to six months , and there are usually two generations a year .
the webbing clothes moth is probably the most commonly encountered clothes moth in the united states . the casemaking clothes moth is less common and also of far less economic importance than the webbing clothes moth .
the larva is the damaging stage of the clothes moth . both species feed on wool clothing , carpets , and rugs ; upholstered furniture ; furs ; stored woolen items ; animal bristles in brushes ; wool felt pads in pianos ; and fish meal in fish food . they will feed on synthetics or cotton blends if these fabrics also contain wool . larvae might also use cotton fibers to make their pupal cases . damage generally appears in hidden locations such as beneath collars or cuffs of clothing , in crevices of upholstered furniture , and in carpeted areas beneath furniture . fabrics with food , perspiration , or urine stains are more subject to damage .
methods for controlling clothes moths include periodic dry cleaning or laundering , proper storage , freezing , heating , fumigating with dry ice , trapping , or insecticides . keeping humidity levels low inside buildings creates an environment that isn ' t favorable for clothes moth development . buildings that don ' t have numerous tiny cracks and crevices will also have fewer clothes moth problems . good housekeeping practices are important as well . it is also important to regularly monitor fabrics and closets for clothes moths and their damage so you can take action when infestations are still small .
although most people can manage clothes moth problems themselves , some infestations are best handled by a pest control applicator , who has the equipment , materials , and experience to deal with difficult control jobs .
to inspect for clothes moths , look to see if there are silken tubes in the hidden portions of clothes , such as under collars , or silken mats or patches on material . both the silken tubes and mats often have fibers and feces incorporated into them . check to see if you can find any sign of surface grazing of fibers , any holes , or both on the fabrics . with fur , look to see if you have some hairs clipped at their base , causing loose fur and exposed hide . fully grown larvae of the casemaking clothes moth make cigar - shaped , open - ended silken cases that are about 3 / 8 inch long , often with pieces of infested material incorporated into the case . the case containing a live larva is often attached to the infested material at on end .
pheromone traps , discussed below in trapping , are also very useful for detecting clothes moths .
periodically cleaning areas in your home that can harbor clothes moths can prevent or control infestations . these areas include seldom - cleaned spots such as beneath heavy pieces of furniture ; along baseboards and in cracks where hair and debris accumulate ; in closets , especially those in which woolens and furs are kept ; and inside and behind heaters and inside vents .
the vacuum cleaner is the best tool for most of this cleaning . after using it in infested areas , dispose of the bag ' s contents promptly , since it can include eggs , larvae , or adult moths .
clothes moths might initially establish themselves on woolen garments or scraps stored for long periods . in addition to properly storing woolen items ( see protecting items in storage . ) , periodically hang them in the sun and brush them thoroughly , especially along seams and inside folds and pockets . brushing destroys eggs and exposes larvae . larvae don ' t like bright light and will fall from clothing when they can ' t find protection .
if the infestation is in a closet , be sure to remove and clean all clothes and fabric that were stored inside and thoroughly vacuum and wash the inside of the closet , especially all cracks and crevices , before returning the cleaned clothes . dust insecticides containing pyrethroids or pyrethrin ( e . g . , 0 . 05 % deltamethrin or 1 % pyrethrin ) can be applied in the cracks and crevices . always follow the label requirements when applying these dusts .
the most common and effective method for killing all stages of clothes moths in clothing , blankets , and other washable articles is to thoroughly launder them for 20 to 30 minutes in water that is at least 120°f . because many woolen items shouldn ' t be washed in hot water , sending your items to a dry cleaner might be the only suitable option . keeping fabrics clean has another advantage—insects are less likely to feed on clean fabrics than on heavily soiled ones .
clothes moths often damage improperly stored articles . when storing susceptible items , be sure they are clean and pest free , and place them in an airtight container . you can place insect repellents such as herbal oils into the storage container , but little is known about their effectiveness .
moth balls , flakes , or crystals containing 1 , 4 - dichlorobenzene ( also called paradichlorobenzene ) also are available for protecting clothes in storage . because these materials are toxic , be sure to keep them away from children and pets . these products have other shortcomings as well . they leave an unpleasant odor on clothes and other cloth objects , and if these products come into contact with plastic buttons , hangers , or garment bags , they can cause the plastic to soften and melt into the fabric .
as these chemicals evaporate , they produce vapors that , in sufficient concentration , will slowly kill insects . the vapors build up to the required concentration only in an airtight container . if the container isn ' t airtight , the chemicals only somewhat repel adults , and any larvae already on clothes continue to feed .
the effectiveness of cedar chests and closet floors made of cedar is debatable . aromatic eastern red cedar , juniperus virginiana , contains an oil that can kill small larvae , but it doesn ' t affect large larvae . after several years , however , cedar loses this quality . having a tightly constructed chest is more important in the long run than the type of wood used to make it .
you can also control clothes moths by heating the infested item in an oven for at least 30 minutes at temperatures higher than 120°f , enclosing the item in a plastic bag and placing it in a freezer for several days at temperatures lower than 18°f , or fumigating the item with dry ice . before using any of these methods , consider if cold or heat will damage the fabric . for more information , see the household furnishings section .
trapping is a relatively easy - to - use technique that helps to detect and reduce a webbing clothes moth infestation . pheromone traps are available to trap both the webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth . pheromones are chemicals an organism produces�in this case a sex attractant�to affect the behavior of other members of the same species . the sex pheromone attracts male moths into the trap where they get stuck on the sticky sides . because the pheromone specifically attracts clothes moths , it won�t attract other moth species . conversely , pheromone traps for other species such as grain - infesting moths won�t attract clothes moths . pheromone traps for clothes moths are available at major hardware stores .
place traps in closets and other clothes - storage areas . trapping not only enables you to detect the presence of clothes moths but provides some control , because trapped males can ' t mate . however , if you trap moths , you should also take other measures , such as dry cleaning or laundering , to protect clothes exposed to moths .
if you have clothes moths but the articles can ' t be dry cleaned , laundered , heated , frozen , kept in cold storage , or fumigated with dry ice , you can spray them with an insecticide . find a product that lists clothes moths on its label , and follow the directions exactly . insecticides for clothes moths usually contain pyrethrins , which provide quick knockdown of clothes moths . you can spray most of these products directly onto fabrics . always follow the instructions in the product label . pyrethrin insecticides don ' t leave persistent toxic residues , which makes them more suitable for clothes moth control in many cases than a lot of other products .
some insecticide sprays have an oil base , so don ' t spray them on silk , rayon , or other fabrics that stain easily . also , don ' t use them around open flames , sparks , or electrical circuits , and don ' t spray them on asphalt tile floors .
for surfaces you suspect might stain , first spray a small , inconspicuous area and let it dry to see if staining occurs . widespread or heavy infestations often require the services of a professional pest control applicator .
rugs , carpets , furs , and household furnishings require special attention to protect them from clothes moths . however , rugs and furnishings made entirely of synthetic fibers aren ' t affected ; this includes most wall - to - wall carpeting
closely inspect beneath heavy furniture and along carpet edges for infestation . you can dry clean area rugs or hang them out in the sun and then vacuum them . pull back the edges of infested wall - to - wall carpets , so you can apply an insecticide to both sides . spray the upper surface of the carpet lightly to reduce the possibility of staining . if the rug pad contains animal hair or wool and hasn ' t been treated by the manufacturer , spray it as well . it is better to wait until the rug has dried before putting any weight on it .
applying protective sprays to furs isn ' t recommended . if you store furs at home during the summer , protect them with moth crystals , flakes , or balls , or frequently shake and air the items . furs in commercial cold storage receive professional care , and you can insure them against damage .
some furniture , mattresses , and pillows are stuffed with animal products such as hair or feathers . when clothes moths get into the stuffing , you won ' t be able to control them simply by spraying the outside surface of the item . the best way to eliminate the moths is to fumigate the item with dry ice or have a pest control or storage firm treat the infested item with lethal gas in a fumigation vault .
to fumigate an object with dry ice , place the item and the ice into a thick ( 4 mil ) plastic bag . don ' t handle dry ice with your bare hands , because it will quickly freeze your skin . if you use a plastic bag with a 30 - gallon capacity , a 1 / 2 - to 1 - pound piece of dry ice should be adequate . seal the bag loosely at the top until all of the dry ice has vaporized ; this will allow the air to escape and keep the bag from bursting . when the dry ice is gone , tighten the seal , and let the bag sit for three or four days . proper fumigation gives quick , satisfactory control and kills all stages of clothes moths , although it doesn ' t prevent reinfestation .
sometimes felts and hammers in pianos become infested and so badly damaged that it seriously affects the tone and action of the instrument . contact a piano technician , who might recommend synthetic felt replacements .
mallis , a . 2011 . handbook of pest control , 10th ed . richfield , ohio : gie media inc .