Pests that Damage Textiles

Textile and clothing pests include:

• Clothes Moths
• Carpet Beetles

Danger Signs

• Damage to clothing or other fabrics
• Small moths present in storage areas
• Presence of small oval beetles (1/8”)
• Presence of larvae or worms in clothing

Potential Harm

• Damage to clothing or other fabrics
• Damage to historic artifacts or antiques
• Damage to museum and/or trophy mounts

Business Consequences

• Economic loss due to damage by textile pests
• Aesthetics due to the presence of live textile pests
• Irreparable damage to historic pieces (clothing, tapestries, etc)

Steps To Take

• Identification of species
• Determine location/source of infestation
• Explore non-chemical control methods (dry cleaning, heat treatments, etc)
• Explore the use of pest management materials, including liquid treatments to storage areas (not infested object), fumigation, the use of insecticide impregnated pest strips