Tinea pallescentella, the large pale clothes moth, is a moth of the family Tineidae. It is found in most of Europe (except the Iberian Peninsula and most of the Balkan Peninsula). It is also present in western North America, where it has been recorded from California.mothphotographersgroup There are also records from South America (including Argentina) and Australia.
The wingspan is . 14-lG mm. The head is light greyish ochreous, fuscous-mixed. Forewings are light greyish-ochreous mixed with fuscous; base of costa and a short basal subdorsal dash dark fuscous; stigmata dark fuscous, elongate, plical forming a more or less extended dash along fold; two indistinct whitish dots beyond second discal; some cloudy dark fuscous terminal spots. Hindwings very pale grey.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and descriptionReinhard Gaedike, 2019 Tineidae II : Myrmecozelinae, Perissomasticinae, Tineinae, Hieroxestinae, Teichobiinae and Stathmopolitinae Microlepidoptera of Europe, vol. 9. Leiden : BrillPelham-Clinton E.C., 1985.Tineidae. In: The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland (Heath J & Emmet AM, eds) 2: 152-207.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
Adults are on wing year round.
The larvae feed on keratinous animal matter such as hair, wool, fur or feathers.UKmoths
References
Gaedike, R. 2019 Tineidae II : Myrmecozelinae, Perissomasticinae, Tineinae, Hieroxestinae, Teichobiinae and Stathmopolitinae Microlepidoptera of Europe, vol. 9. Leiden : Brill, Petersen, G., 1957: Die Genitalien der paläarktischen Tineiden (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Beiträge zur Entomologie 7 (1/2): 55–176.
External links
Lepiforum de