Annette Dietermann, age 12, of Costa Mesa, California, for her question:
How can moths possibly eat clothes?
Annette just learned that the clothes moth eats nothing at all. This is enough to make a person wonder who in the world creates those wicked holes in our winter wools. Maybe we have been unfair to blame the moths. Not al all. However, it is true that they were not made by the fluttery little clothes moth because she really has no appetite. The damage was done by her hungry children.
Most moths and butterflies live only a few days, just long enough to make and lay their eggs. As a rule, they are too busy to eat, though some take a few sips of dew. The winged insects are adults and we tend to notice them more because they fly around. However, we hardly notice the adult clothes moth. She is drabbish gray, very small and she tends to flutter around in shady corners.
This is because she is hunting for things that we tend to keep in shady corners, such as clothes. Mother insects lay their eggs where the hatchings will find the special food they need. The clothes moth larvae will be famished for wollen fabrics.. They also enjoy fur, feathers and leather. These fibers come from animals and the greedy grubs prefer them spotted with greasy grime. They do not eat fibers of nylon or other synthetic material.
Though the mother moth does not eat clothes herself, she strives very hard to see that her offspring get a chance to feed on them. Somehow she knows just where our winter woolens are stored and flutters around to find an entrance. She is small enough to fold her wings and wriggle through a pinhole to lay her eggs in what she considers to be a suitable spot. When possible, she sleets a place that is dark and quiet, fairly warm and not too dry. If there is a crack or tiny hole in a package of stored clothing, you can bet your mittens she will crawl inside and lay her eggs.
The mother moth's work is now finished and she crawls away to die. When the eggs hatch, the hungry larvae find themselves in a small world made entirely of their favorite food. Naturally they set to work and feast on the fabrics. After a week or so of gorging, the damage is done and the larvae change into pupae.' They may sleep for several weeks or even months. When finally they hatch, they are adult winged insects all set to repeat the cycle.
The female moth is clever, but we can be cleverer. Our clothes have a better chance when we remove every spot before storing them. They are safer when sealed in air tight packages. For added protection we can add certain chemicals that moths detest. As a rule, the female stays away from lavender and certain other fragrant herbs. She also abhors the tangy odor of moth balls and flakes.