Clothes Moth Research Articles

The genome sequence of the Case-bearing Clothes moth, Tinea pellionella (Linnaeus, 1758)

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Tinea pellionella (the Case-bearing Clothes moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tineidae). The genome sequence is 245.3 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 25.86 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 13,811 protein coding genes.

Insect catch at historic libraries in rural and urban settings

The historic libraries of Austria are often elegant classical spaces. The collections are sensitive to damage by insects, such as silverfish (Lepismatidae), biscuit beetles (Stegobium paniceum), spider beetle (Ptinus fur) and the furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) and a range of other beetles e.g. Dermestidae, which attack carpets and museum objects. Warmer conditions and changes in humidity might encourage new species to appear at these locations. Historic libraries represent a useful group to study, because they have similar collections, with only limited addition of new material and sometimes very few visitors, thus representing a stable indoor ecosystem. The five monastic libraries in the study occupy a range of settings, from rural to urban. Additionally, there were three research libraries in Vienna. Insects were caught over several years (up to 10) from the eastern parts of Austria using sticky blunder and pheromone (webbing clothes moth) traps. Higher annual catch rates were found in more rural monastic settings and revealed a less even spread of species (a high Gini coefficient) than at urban sites. The Shannon diversity was higher in the urban research libraries. Species within the same family can show differences in preference: silverfish Lepisma saccharinum (rural), Ctenolepisma longicaudatum (urban) or C. calvum (urban), carpet beetles Anthrenus museorum (rural) and A. verbasci (urban). The differences may be a function of the land use, climate, air pollution or human activities. The work suggests that managing insects in these libraries need to account for differences between rural and urban locations.

The genome sequence of the Case-bearing Clothes moth, Tinea pellionella (Linnaeus, 1758).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Tinea pellionella (the Case-bearing Clothes moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tineidae). The genome sequence is 245.3 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 25.86 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 13,811 protein coding genes.

Insect Distribution in a Vacant Multi-Level Office Building.

The webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) causes extensive and costly damage to fabrics, furnishings, and museum objects. It is best known from its presence in homes, museums, and historic properties, while infestations in office buildings are not as well understood. Offices typically have more frequent cleaning, fewer quiet habitats, less food availability, and fewer breeding environments for moths, which may explain the lower abundance. Nevertheless, they can be introduced with materials or by employees whose homes have a moth infestation. This study examines the distribution of different insect pests determined from pheromone traps set out in an unoccupied multi-floor office building in Switzerland. Tineola bisselliella dominated the insect catch but was mostly found in the aisles on the lower floors. The larger rooms tended to have a greater insect catch. Carpet beetles (Attagenus smirnovi) and silverfish (Zygentoma) were also found, although in smaller numbers, and often preferred the basement floors. The ghost silverfish (Ctenolepisma calvum) dominated the Zygentoma, even though it has been rare until recently in Switzerland. The study suggests the need for Integrated Pest Management within office buildings. In addition, in unoccupied buildings under renovation, with no obvious sources of food, insect pests still need monitoring.

The genome sequence of the Fulvous Clothes Moth, Tinea semifulvella (Haworth, 1828).

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Tinea semifulvella (the Fulvous Clothes Moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tineidae). The genome sequence is 596.6 megabases in span. The whole assembly is scaffolded into 45 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the Z sex chromosome assembled. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.8 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 11,516 protein coding genes.

Moisture and distribution of a keratophagous moth, Tinea occidentella

Moisture and distribution of a keratophagous moth, <i>Tinea occidentella</i>

Tineola bisselliella (withdrawn) (webbing clothes moth)

Tineola bisselliella (withdrawn) (webbing clothes moth)

Regularity in distribution, and control, of pests in the hall of mental cultivation, the Forbidden City, Beijing, China

Pests can seriously threaten the safety of organic relics and historic buildings. Every year, the Palace Museum spends a large of money and time preventing and controlling pests, but there is still no a better systematic and targeted method. The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a representative and essential building in the Forbidden City. Through three years of pest monitoring, the species, quantity, and occurrence regularity of the major pests were investigated. During this time, more than ten species of insects were trapped. These included carpet beetles (Anthrenus picturatus hintoni Mroczkowski, 1952 and Thylodrias contractus Motschulsky, 1839), silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudata Escherich, 1905), powder-post beetles (Lyctus brunneus Stephens, 1830), booklice (Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel, 1931), spider beetles (Ptinus japonicus Reitter, 1877 and Gibbium aequinoctiale Boieldieu, 1865) and the case bearing clothes moths (Tinea pellionella Linnaeus, 1758), among which the Anthrenus picturatus was the primary pests. Abundant resources of organic relics, suitable temperature, humidity, and light environment, and cypress existence are favorable factors for the occurrence of pests, and analysis of these factors is helpful for further integrated pest management (IPM). The period with the most significant number of active pests in the Hall of Mental Cultivation is July and August, and April and May are the rapid growth period. Carpet beetles are the key pests that can affect the overall change trend significantly. It should combine with their living habits, the ideal treatment time and methods, to give them a better control. Fumigation should be done in July and August, while chemical spray should be done referring to the florescence of outdoor trees (March to June), and used of pheromone is reasonable preventative measures.

A comprehensive review on moth repellent finishing of woolen textiles

Abstract Wool is one of the most ancient and highly preferred fibers to mankind and is extremely susceptible to insect infestation which is a major concern to the woolens and is an age-old issue. Woolens, stored in a poorly ventilated, dark, and humid atmosphere are prone to the moth attack. The larvae of clothes moth and carpet beetle severely attack woolens and animal fibers. While chemical anti-moth formulations are effective in preventing the moth attack, their toxicity is also a major concern. Herbal formulations, including natural dyes, are found to be effective in repelling the moth. It has become the need of the hour to popularize herbal mothproofing agents for effective management of these textile pests. Recently nano chemicals are also attempted for moth repellency. This paper reviews various insects attacking wool, their management, natural and synthetic antimoth agents along with antifeedants, their mode of action, and standard testing methods.

Silk of the common clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, a cosmopolitan pest belonging to the basal ditrysian moth line

Many lepidopteran larvae produce silk secretions to build feeding tubes and cocoons that play important protective roles in their lives. Recent research on the silk of bombycoid and pyralid moths has shown that it contains several highly abundant silk components with remarkable mechanical properties. It was also found to contain a number of other proteins of which the functions have yet to be identified. To gain an overview of the silk composition in more primitive lepidopteran species and to identify the core silk components common to most species, we analyzed the cocoon proteins of Tineola bisselliella, which belongs to the basal ditrysian moth line. Using de novo transcriptome sequencing combined with mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics, we detected more than 100 secretory proteins in the silk cocoons. Fibroin, sericins, and protease inhibitors were found to be the most abundant proteins, along with several novel candidate silk components. We also verified the tissue and developmental stage specificity of the silk protein expression and characterized the morphology of both the silk glands and silk in T. bisselliella. Our study provides a detailed analysis of silk in the primitive moth, expands the known set of silk-specific genes in Lepidoptera, and helps to elucidate their evolutionary relationships.

Susceptibility of Environmentally Friendly Sheep Wool Insulation Panels to the Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella in Laboratory Assays.

In this study the resistance opposed to Tineola bisselliella larvae by a commercial sheep-wool panel incorporating borate salts was determined under laboratory conditions. The susceptibility of clothes moth larvae to different concentrations of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) incorporated in pure wool was also determined. The commercial wool panel showed a remarkable resistance to moth attack compared with pure untreated wool, and the damage to panel samples was limited to their surface. As a result of bioassays exposing larvae to pure wool treated with DOT, a concentration dependent effect was observed, achieving a good efficacy at an application rate between 40–100 mg/mL. This study highlights the need to protect wool-based construction material with appropriate insecticidal (antifeedant or repellent) substances and supports the development of eco-sustainable solutions.

In defence of the world’s most reviled invertebrate ‘bugs’

ABSTRACTSpecies of invertebrate animals, notably insects, are undergoing an alarmingly high rate of extinction, coupled with minimal support for their protection, even from the world’s leading conservation organisations. This is intolerable, as invertebrates constitute over 95% of the world’s species, have indispensable economic values and provide ecological services without which life on earth would virtually cease. Much of the lack of public and governmental support for invertebrate conservation is due to the abhorrent tiny pests that have persuaded most people that ‘bugs’ are bad and consequently the only species worthy of support are the charismatic superstar mammals like pandas and tigers that currently are the mainstays of biodiversity fundraising. Just as these respected, highly attractive icons are effective ambassadors of biodiversity conservation, so certain detested pests have poisoned the public image of invertebrates, and indeed have made it seem to many that most wildlife is hostile. The ‘dirty dozen’ bugs that particularly are a hindrance to improving public investment in biodiversity are: bedbugs, clothes moths, cockroaches, fleas, houseflies, leeches, lice, locusts, mosquitoes, spiders, termites and ticks. Except for spiders, these species, admittedly, are responsible for enormous damage to health and economic welfare. Nevertheless, this paper shows that most have at least some compensating values, their harm has often been exaggerated and all have related species that are good citizens. Six of the dozen ‘least wanted’ invertebrates highlighted are blood parasites of humans, and these ‘bad apples’ are very hard to defend since parasitism seems abhorrent. Remarkably, however, at least half of the world’s tens of millions of species are also parasites, and without them most ecosystems would be in danger of collapse. To improve invertebrate conservation, it is advisable that efforts be made to educate the public regarding their importance. Since prejudices against ‘bugs’ are primarily acquired during childhood, special attention is needed to persuade the young that most invertebrates are harmless, valuable and entertaining. Recent advances in genetic engineering (‘synthetic biology’, ‘genetic drives’) have led to very serious consideration of deliberately eliminating the world’s worst pests of humans. While these extermination technologies could greatly increase support for invertebrate conservation by annihilating their most despised representatives, the dangers of unforeseen damage to ecosystems and hence to biodiversity are substantial.

Operation Clothes Moth: Where Preventive Conservation and Public Engagement Meet

ABSTRACT Clothesmoths catch data fromhistoric properties confirms numbers are on the increase in England. Citizen science research was conducted using Tineola bisselliella pheromone traps handed out from English Heritage properties from April to September 2017. One hundred and ninety-two participants recorded moth counts from residential properties in 42 counties in England. Using an average number of moths per trap, geographical spread indicates higher numbers in warmer southern counties of England. Pale-backed clothes moths Monopis crocicapitella were caught in significant numbers suggesting a new insect pest risk for historic house collections. Threshold numbers for clothes moths that could indicate an active infestation are proposed. Residential flats appear to be more vulnerable to clothes moth activity possibly related to the shared walls or spaces. The research was launched using a public relations campaign called ‘Operation Clothes Moth’ which generated major media activity across the internet, radio, television, newspapers and magazines. Public awareness of insect pest management, preventive conservation and the work of conservators and conservation scientists was significantly increased.

Insect pests and Integrated Pest Management in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo contain over 1800 bodies dating from the 16th-20th centuries. Human remains and other materials within the catacombs are currently infested by a variety of insect pest species. To evaluate the community of organisms associated with these materials, the activity and abundance of insect pests were investigated. Sticky blunder traps and pheromone traps for webbing clothes moths were employed. An array of arthropods was collected in this way, including several orders of insects. The most important pest species recovered were two types of wood-boring beetles (Order Coleoptera), Anobium punctatum De Geer, 1774 and Hexarthrum exiguum (Boheman, 1838) belonging to two different taxonomic families. Both species require high wood moisture to develop, demonstrating that the environmental conditions within the catacombs were optimal for the development of these beetles. Additionally, two types of moths (Order Lepidoptera), the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella (Hummel, 1823), and the case-bearing clothes moth, Tinea pellionella (Linnaeus, 1758), were recovered. Both moths are important pests of textiles. The detection of oriental cockroaches (Order Blattodea), Blatta orientalis Linnaeus, 1758, indicated that the cleaning and sealing of the catacombs needs to be improved.

Linking webbing clothes moths to infested objects or other food sources in museums

The webbing clothes moth Tineola bisselliella (Hummel, 1823) is one of the most common museum pests and can be found all over the world. The larvae damages objects made of feather, wool, fur, and other keratinaceous materials. Pheromone traps are important tools in integrated pest management, which allow the detection of infestations and evaluation of their extent. Organic-rich dust (detritus) or other materials of animal origin, such as dead birds, can be an alternative food source for the moths. This paper analyzes monitoring data collected with pheromone traps from six different museums in Vienna and Berlin and tries to differentiate between moths resulting from infested objects or moths coming from other food sources, such as organic-rich dust. Annual totals of moths trapped and catch rate (moths per trap) are important guides for selecting appropriate remedial measures. Long-term data (over six years) enabled us to interpret monitoring results and differentiate between active infestation of objects and cleaning or housekeeping problems. However, detailed knowledge of the site and buildings, availability of high-quality food for the larvae, and lack of regular cleaning are also important factors to consider when interpreting the data.

Obrazy ze świata przyrody w nauczaniu Jezusa o ubóstwie i bogactwie

Obecność licznych przedstawicieli świata zwierząt i roślin na kartach Nowego Testamentu, często połączona z opisem cech charakterystycznych dla ich wyglądu lub sposobu życia czy wykorzystania ich przez człowieka, związana jest z posługiwaniem się przez Jezusa językiem obrazu. Równocześnie należy podkreślić, że ten bogaty świat przyrody jest dla Mistrza z Nazaretu narzędziem pomocnym w przekładaniu orędzia Boga na język ludzki. Dlatego poznanie znaczenia i symboliki zwierząt i roślin pojawiających się na kartach Pisma Świętego pozwala współczesnemu człowiekowi lepiej zrozumieć perykopy biblijne, w których są one przywoływane. W Nowym Testamencie występują opisy, w których Chrystus dla zilustrowania swojej nauki o ubóstwie i bogactwie nawiązuje do życia zwierząt. Przykładem tego są słowa Jezusa: „Lisy mają nory i ptaki powietrzne – gniazda, lecz Syn Człowieczy nie ma miejsca, gdzie by głowę mógł oprzeć” (Mt 8, 20). W swym nauczaniu na ten temat Jezus odwołuje się także do ptaków: „Przypatrzcie się ptakom w powietrzu: nie sieją, nie żną i nie zbierają do spichlerzy, a Ojciec wasz niebieski je żywi” (Mt 6, 26). Powyższe słowa świadczą o tym, że słuchacze Jezusa dobrze musieli znać te stworzenia, a zwłaszcza sposób zdobywania pokarmu oraz gnieżdżenia się. Natomiast Jezusowe odniesienie do mola ubraniowego podkreśla znikomość ziemskich bogactw. Zniszczenie ubrań przez mole na terenach biblijnych nie było sporadyczne, ale było czymś, co, biorąc pod uwagę czas, musiało się stać, jak zapisano w słowach Chrystusa: „Nie gromadźcie sobie skarbów na ziemi, gdzie mól i rdza niszczą i gdzie złodzieje włamują się, i kradną” (Mt 6, 19 i Łk 12, 33).

The nanocidal and antifeedant activities of titanium dioxide desiccant toward wool-digesting Tineola bisselliella moth larvae

The nanocidal and antifeedant activities of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) against the widespread pest of wool carpets, apparel, building insulation, and other wool textiles, Tineola bisselliella (common clothes moth), were investigated using an industry-recognized bioassay test, and a feeding preference test. Wool fabric was pre-treated with citric acid/sodium hypophosphite, TiO2 applied, and then loosely bound TiO2 was removed by ultrasound. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in larval mortality was found using 1.7 % on mass of wool (omw) TiO2, whereas levels as low as 0.1 % omw significantly reduced feeding. TiO2 did not show any repellence in the feeding preference test. The TiO2 was considerably less effective than the commercial insect-resist agent Lanacare FPL (Shamrock Group Ltd) was. This study extends understanding of entomotoxic nanocides on textiles to a new insect species and to new test methods, and further illustrates their potential for protecting wool textiles from keratinophagous insects.

AN ELECTRON SCAN MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS RESULT OF DAMAGE ON WOOLLEN FIBER BY CLOTHES MOTH (TINEOLA BISSELLIELLA)

We have studied a type of damage on woollen fiber by clothes moths. 10 pieces of hurentser were put into each washed wool, raw wool and thick fiber of wool at the same temperature and did observation every 2 days. After 14 days, a number of dead and alive larvae, their length were noted down. Also we noted down that if they were moving or not and grew up or away. Samples were put in thermostat at 24.5 C. Each damage of every sample by clothes moth were not the same as each other.Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.13(2) 2014: 48-50

Insect Pests and Integrated Pest Management in Museums, Libraries and Historic Buildings.

Insect pests are responsible for substantial damage to museum objects, historic books and in buildings like palaces or historic houses. Different wood boring beetles (Anobium punctatum, Hylotrupes bajulus, Lyctus sp. or introduced species), the biscuit beetle (Stegobium paniceum), the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne), different Dermestides (Attagenus sp., Anthrenus sp., Dermestes sp., Trogoderma sp.), moths like the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella), Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and booklice (Psocoptera) can damage materials, objects or building parts. They are the most common pests found in collections in central Europe, but most of them are distributed all over the world. In tropical countries, termites, cockroaches and other insect pests are also found and result in even higher damage of wood and paper or are a commune annoyance in buildings. In this short review, an introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in museums is given, the most valuable collections, preventive measures, monitoring in museums, staff responsible for the IPM and chemical free treatment methods are described. In the second part of the paper, the most important insect pests occurring in museums, archives, libraries and historic buildings in central Europe are discussed with a description of the materials and object types that are mostly infested and damaged. Some information on their phenology and biology are highlighted as they can be used in the IPM concept against them.

Webbing clothes moth catch and the management of heritage environments

Webbing clothes moths damage our tangible heritage and, in historic properties and museums, are increasingly monitored using pheromone traps. Following >5000 trapping periods in museums in Austria and Germany and historic properties in the UK, catch rates showed big changes over time, resulting from infestations and pest control activities. The number of moths caught in traps is highly skewed and, with respect to Poisson and Hermite distributions, over-dispersed. Principal components analysis reveals two distinct types of catch: a low catch and another showing much dispersion at high catch. Lorenz curves and the associated Gini coefficients were useful but, in their representation of the data, there is a loss of scale. The Gini coefficient is higher when a location is infested. Scaled cumulative plots revealed changes in infestations over time and location. The exploratory statistics and principal component analysis suggested four levels of moth presence in museums: (i) no moths, (ii) low catch, (iii) high catch and (iv) infestation. This categorisation offers a guide to interpreting insect catch and could aid the choice of management approaches to minimising this biological degradation of heritage collections/materials.