Adult: Adult moth is up to 12 mm, buff coloured at rest, during flight the wings exhibit a silvery-brown appearance. The head exhibits a reddish tuft of hairs.
Larva: 12 mm in length. Larva is creamy white with a brown head and no ocelli.
The female moth lays her tiny eggs among the threads or pile of a fabric, in fur clothing, taxidermy mounts, lint, or other debris in undisturbed places. In summer the eggs hatch in a few days, but in winter they may require a month or more to fully develop. When infested material is disturbed, the adult moth runs about on the surface of the fabric or fur. The larva (i.e., caterpillar) of the Webbing Clothes moth spins distinctive silken feeding tunnels that sometimes look rather patchy. The mature larva spins a pupal case and attaches bits of fibre and excrement to the outside. It is well hidden in the infested fabric. Adult moths usually emerge in two to three weeks and live for two to five weeks. Evidence of infestation can also include caste skins of larvae that have molted, silky webbing over furs or fabrics, and grey pellet-like frass on the fabrics or the floor below the infested material.
