Brown-dotted clothes moth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown-dotted clothes moth |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Niditinea
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N. fuscella
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| Niditinea fuscella (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Numerous, see text |
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The brown-dotted clothes moth (Niditinea fuscella) is a type of moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family, called Tineidae. This moth is quite common in many parts of western Eurasia, which includes Europe and Asia. However, it's not usually found in very cold places like northern Scotland or on islands like Iceland. It has also traveled to other parts of the world, like Australia.
About the Brown-Dotted Clothes Moth
Adult brown-dotted clothes moths are small, with a wingspan of about 14 millimeters (that's less than an inch!). They have a rather plain look. Their front wings are brownish-grey and each has three noticeable dark brown dots. The back wings are shiny white and have a long, hairy fringe around the edges, which is common for fungus moths. Their body is dull brown, and their head has a tuft of reddish-brown hair.
When They Are Active
You can usually see the adult moths flying around from May to September, depending on where you are. They don't really like bright sunlight. Instead, they prefer to come out and fly in the late afternoon or evening.
What Brown-Dotted Clothes Moth Caterpillars Eat
The young moths, called caterpillars, like to eat dry animal and plant materials. Even though they are called "clothes moths," they don't usually cause problems for your clothes. They might eat old wool or similar fabrics if they find them.
However, these caterpillars are much more often found in bird nests. They especially like nests of chickens, domestic pigeons, swallows, and woodpeckers. In these nests, they feed on things like shed feathers and bird droppings. Sometimes, they also eat other dry foods like peas, dried fruit, and bran.
