Monopis crocicapitella, the pale-backed clothes moth, or the bird-nest moth, is a moth of the family Tineidae described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. It was first described from the eastern United States.
The wingspan is 10–16 mm.Reinhard Gaedike, 2019 Tineidae II : Myrmecozelinae, Perissomasticinae, Tineinae, Hieroxestinae, Teichobiinae and Stathmopolitinae Microlepidoptera of Europe, vol. 9. Leiden : Brill
In western Europe, adults are on wing from June to October.
This species can easily be mistaken for Monopis obviella due to almost indistinguishable markings. Zagulajev, A.K., 1990 Tineidae; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 2 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987
The capability of this species to infest human dwellings is unknown. Larvae of this species were found to not survive at 51% relative humidity, thriving at 93% relative humidity.
References
Petersen, G., 1957: Die Genitalien der paläarktischen Tineiden (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Beiträge zur Entomologie 7 (1/2): 55–176. Pelham-Clinton E.C., 1985.Tineidae. In: The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland (Heath J & Emmet AM, eds) 2: 152–207.
External links
UKMoths Lepidoptera of Belgium
Lepiforum.de