Bug FAQBarred White Clothes Moth
Nemapogon clematella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tineidae
Also called: Barred White Clothes
The barred white clothes moth, Nemapogon clematella, belongs to the Tineidae family and has a wingspan of about 12 to 15 mm. It lives in woodlands across most of Europe and parts of North America, including Maryland and North Carolina. The larvae feed on fungi such as Hypoxylon fuscum and Fomes fomentarius, and adults are on the wing from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Nemapogon clematella is a moth of the family Tineidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 12 to 15 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits woodland areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active and on the wing from June through August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults spans June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is found throughout most of Europe. In North America it has been recorded in Maryland and North Carolina.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont, Indiana, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult barred white clothes moths active?
Adults are on the wing from June to August.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of Nemapogon clematella eat?
The larvae feed on fungi such as Hypoxylon fuscum and Fomes fomentarius.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find Nemapogon clematella?
It lives in woodlands across most of Europe and has been recorded in Maryland and North Carolina in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tineidae)
Webbing Clothes MothTineola bisselliellaCan damage your home
Case-bearing Clothes MothTinea pellionellaCan damage your home
Clemens' Grass Tubeworm MothAcrolophus popeanella
Eastern Grass Tubeworm MothAcrolophus plumifrontella
Household CasebearerPhereoeca uterellaCan damage your home
Arcane Grass Tubeworm MothAcrolophus arcanellaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemapogon_clematella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.