Latin: Endrosis Sarcitrella
White-shouldered house moths have been a particular problem in the old days, but nowadays they are not nearly as inconvenient for the general population. However, you can still experience one or more White-shouldered house moth in your home, and it is also possible to find white-shouldered house moth larvae both in private homes and in industry.
The white-shouldered house moth is also called Endrosis sarcitrella, and it is a relatively small, beige, and white moth, which does well in humid climates. It is a so-called textile moth, i.e., one of the kind of moth that likes to eat from one’s old clothes and other textiles in the home. In this way, they can be a lot of inconvenience for people, if you were so unlucky to get them in your home.
Appearance
It is never a good sign that you have moths in your home, but there are ways to find out whether it is white-shouldered house moth or another type of moth. A white-shouldered house moth can be recognized by its whitish or beige color. The head is white, and the sensory horns are long and curved. White-shouldered house moth moths have beige and brownish wings, but the chest, like the head, is completely white. In addition, a white-shouldered house moth has dark eyes, which are large and distinct.
The white-shouldered house moth larva is reminiscent of a maggot in appearance. It is a whitish color in the body, while the head is a darker color, almost black. White-shouldered house moth larvae can grow up to 12 millimeters long when they are the largest, but the average is just under 10 millimeters. You will typically find white-shouldered house moth larvae together, but fully grown moths can easily be found individually.
Biology and behavior
White-shouldered house moth used to live in the wallpaper in damp, cool rooms. They lived in this climate because the larvae lived off the special glue that was used for wallpapering. As buildings have now become isolated, they have also become warmer. On the other hand, we have gained greater control over the ventilation of our buildings, so now virtually all homes in Denmark are hot and dry.
The reason that white-shouldered house moth can still be found in some buildings of an older nature is simply because they are pretty much omnivorous. They eat old remnants of wallpaper paste and other things, which do not have a high enough nutrient content for other animals. In the wild, white-shouldered house moth and white-shouldered house moth larvae live in wasp nests or bird nests, where they “clean up” by eating remnants of feed as well as feathers and the like. They are not carnivores, so the other animals also often tolerate them because they are not a danger to the birds or wasps.
Damage
Although white-shouldered house moth has been quite troublesome in the past, modern technology and development have made it more and more difficult for white-shouldered house moth and white-shouldered house moth larvae to survive in our homes. Since they require a humid indoor climate, and people most often try to minimize moisture in their homes, it simply becomes difficult for the white-shouldered house moth to survive in modern homes.
If you see a single, white-shouldered house moth in your home, you should therefore not fear that you are becoming a victim of an infestation. White-shouldered house moth also often lives in wasp nests and abandoned bird nests, as they can find plenty of moisture and things to eat for their larvae.
Prevention and pest control
If you have noticed that you get more white-shouldered house moth in your home, it can therefore mainly be because there is a moist area in your home where the larvae can survive long enough to become white-shouldered house moth. In modern homes they can stick to wall-to-wall carpets. If the carpet is long while the floor below has been damp, this is the perfect climate for the white-shouldered house moth and their larvae to live in. You can relatively easily get rid of white-shouldered house moth by drying out, freezing, or washing your textiles. There are also various insecticides and moth repellents specifically for the purpose, for instance in the case of a nest in a ventilation shaft or in a wall-to-wall carpet.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)