______ moths are the most commonly encountered clothes moth in Tennessee.

• A. Household clothes
• B. Case-bearing clothes
• C. Webbing clothes
• D. Clothing moths

Answer: (C)

Among clothes moth pests, the webbing clothes moth is the species most often encountered in Tennessee homes. This moth’s larvae actively feed on fabrics such as wool, silk, and fur and spin visible silk webbing over the surface of the material, making signs of infestation easier to detect in typical living spaces like closets, drawers, and upholstered areas. The indoor, stable conditions found in homes—consistent warmth and humidity—support continuous life cycles, which means these moths show up more frequently to pest control efforts than other types. Case-bearing clothes moths do exist and can infest stored fabrics, but their larvae carry portable cases and damage can be less conspicuous, so they’re reported less often. Generic “clothing moths” isn’t specific to a particular pest, so it isn’t as accurate as identifying the webbing clothes moth in this context.