Why do moths eat clothes?

, , Leave a comment

Why do moths eat clothes?

Moths are insects that have been found to be closely related to butterflies. Otherwise termed as heterocera, moths are given such name to make it distinct from the butterflies. Moths are known to have more than one hundred fifty species, of which most were found to be nocturnal. The term moth originally comes from the Common Germanic language, which can be defined as a maggot or a midge. A midge or a maggot is a term used commonly during the 16th century in referring to the larvae. The existence of moths has brought wondrous significance to the economy. Despite being considered as one of the major pests in agriculture, moths have been found to produce significant amount of silk that is widely manufactured in various parts of the world.

One major fall back about moths is that they feed on clothing. Although most adult moths do not feed on clothes, they have been notoriously famous because of their ability to eat clothes. Not all moths eat clothes,” but there are certain kinds of moths who are known for snacking on keratin, which is a protein found in clothes made from wool, fur, silk, felt, or feathers. Clothing Moths turn keratin into food, and so they sometimes eat bedding, clothes, or carpets. They feed on clothes because the protein contained in these clothes allows moths to grow and eventually transform into adult moths. Adult moths function in the concept of reproduction and eventually meet death. Also known as clothes moths, this type of moths don’t like light and mostly reside in dark places such as cabinets and basements.

In order to get rid of this pest, moth balls and cedar chests are mostly used among housekeepers. This keeps them from eating away one’s clothes and linens.

Author: plaza

Facebook Comments
Help us improve. Please rate this article:
 

Leave a Reply