The larvae and the moth eggs are not visible to the naked eye. The infestation can occur if you bring into your home clothes that are infested with eggs, or if a mature moth, ready to lay eggs, makes its way into your home.

How do you identify moth eggs?

Common Clothes Moth larvae – cause irregular shaped holes in natural fabrics. Adults lay cream coloured eggs, which hatch into creamy white larvae. Case Bearing Clothes Moth larvae – create smaller, more regular shaped holes in garments and textiles. The larvae are white with a brown head.

Can you see moth larvae?

Moths don’t eat clothes; their larvae do. They hatch within a few weeks of being laid. “When they first hatch, they’re only a millimetre long and they burrow into your clothes, so you don’t see them. It’s not until they get bigger that you see the evidence,” says Pinniger.