The short answer
Small moths indoors are usually one of three things: clothes moths breeding on wool, fur or feathers somewhere dark; pantry moths breeding in stored food such as flour, cereal, nuts or bird seed; or a harmless outdoor moth that flew in. Where you see them, how they fly and what is nearby tells you which, and each needs a different response.
A few small moths in the house is one of the commonest pest worries there is, and the cause is often not what people assume. Before you buy traps or book a treatment, it is worth working out which moth you have.
The three usual suspects
Clothes moths
The common, or webbing, clothes moth is small, about 5 to 8 mm long according to English Heritage, and a plain, satiny straw-gold with a tuft of reddish hairs on its head. Its cousin, the case-bearing clothes moth, looks dustier and more brownish, and its wings carry a few faint flecks.
What gives them away is behaviour. MuseumPests describes them as weak fliers that avoid light, running or fluttering short distances when disturbed. You see them in wardrobes, behind curtains, near rugs and in dim corners, and they rarely fly to a lamp at night.
Why they are there: they are breeding on wool, silk, fur, feathers or the fluff that collects from them, somewhere dark and undisturbed. In a heated home they can breed all year.
Pantry moths
The Indian meal moth is the commonest food moth in British kitchens. It is a little larger than a clothes moth, with wings that are pale at the base and coppery or reddish-brown towards the tips, so it looks two-toned at rest.
They fly more readily than clothes moths, often in the evening, and you see them in the kitchen, on the ceiling above cupboards and near where food is stored.
Why they are there: they arrived in a packet of something and are breeding in dry stored food: flour, oats, cereals, dried fruit, nuts, rice, pasta, spices, chocolate, pet food or bird seed. You may also find silk webbing in the corners of packets and small pale larvae crawling up the walls to pupate.
Harmless visitors
Plenty of moths come in from the garden through open windows and doors, especially on warm evenings. They head for lights and are usually larger and more patterned than either pest.
The brown house moth is a common indoor species. UKMoths gives its wingspan as 15 to 26 mm, noticeably larger than a clothes moth, and it is bronze with dark flecks. Its larvae feed mainly on debris, old nests and stored seed rather than good clothes, though they can occasionally damage textiles.
How to tell which one you have
| Where you see them | What they do | Most likely |
|---|---|---|
| Wardrobes, bedrooms, near rugs | Scuttle into the dark, short flights | Clothes moth |
| Kitchen, on the ceiling, near cupboards | Fly in the evening, two-toned wings | Pantry moth |
| Round lights, at windows at night | Fly to the light, larger, patterned | Outdoor moth |
| Landings, lofts, dusty corners | Bronze, larger, flecked | Brown house moth |
A cheap magnifying glass helps. If you catch one, compare the wing colour and the head: a reddish tuft of hair points to the webbing clothes moth.
What to do about clothes moths
- Find where they are breeding. Check the back of wardrobes, under furniture, the edges of wool carpet, and drawers of stored knitwear. Look for holes, silk webbing, small cases and gritty droppings.
- Clean thoroughly. Vacuum slowly along every edge and under furniture, and bin the vacuum contents outside.
- Treat the clothes. Wash hot where the label allows, dry clean, or seal delicate pieces in freezer bags at -18°C for at least two weeks, as English Heritage advises.
- Store sealed. Put clean things back in sealed bags or boxes.
- Monitor. Pheromone traps show whether males are still around but will not solve the problem alone.
If the holes keep coming, read about clothes moth treatment and carpet moth treatment.
What to do about pantry moths
Pantry moths are a kitchen problem, not a wardrobe one, and they rarely need a pest controller.
- Empty every cupboard where dry food is kept.
- Check each packet, including unopened ones, for webbing, clumping and larvae. Bin anything affected, sealed in a bag, outdoors.
- Vacuum the shelves, especially corners, shelf-pin holes and the hinge side of doors where larvae pupate, then wipe them down.
- Store food in sealed containers of glass, metal or hard plastic.
- Check bird seed and pet food, which are frequent sources.
What to do about visitors
Nothing, usually. Close windows or fit screens if they bother you, and turn off lights near open windows in the evening. They do not breed indoors on your clothes or food.
Why London homes see so many
Central heating lets clothes moths breed through the winter. Many London flats are full of wool carpets, rugs and good clothes in fitted wardrobes that rarely get fully emptied. Pigeons and other birds nest in eaves and parapets, which can feed moths and beetles in the roof space. And in converted houses and mansion blocks, moths can move between flats through shared voids and floor gaps, so a problem next door can become yours.
When to call a specialist
If you have identified clothes moths and they keep coming back after a thorough clean, or the damage is spreading through carpets and rugs, a professional treatment will reach places you cannot. In London a spray course typically costs £150 to £330, and heat treatment starts from around £534. The price calculator gives a range for your home.
Want someone to name the moth and deal with it? Start with your postcode and we will put a London specialist forward.