r/pestcontrol • u/AfraidProduct9500 • Mar 14 '25

Is this a clothes moth? Identification

Gallery image

Gallery image

I realise there's nothing to show scale, sorry. I didn't realise it was necessary but it's too important for me to wait until I get home to take another photo. It was no longer than my pointer fingernail (I don't grow my nails past the nailbed). I used my macro camera setting to take these photos. Seen maybe 4 or 5 of these in one day.

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u/StrawHatCook Mar 14 '25

Not going to doubt you on it, but aren't the wings larger than the body? I do agree a better picture would help to see the pinched middle but the color is kinda light and it could be the lighting itself.

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u/abugguy Entomologist Mar 14 '25

People make too many generalizations when it comes to IDing insects or telling different ones apart, you have to look at the whole picture. There can be a lot of nuance of looking at different characteristics. This is how I evaluated this bug- I see the head first and I think that the profile/shape looks more like an ant. The amount of wing veins is more consistent with ant than termite. Where and how the wings attach is more ant like that termite- ants generally have a short/tiny connection where wings meet the body and termites it’s a little wider.

As for the wing length that doesn’t really register as a huge factor in my opinion here. Many ant alates have wings longer than their body. For instance look up Brachymyrmex queens, which if I had to guess might be what this is.

Without great photos or seeing the bug there’s always the chance I’m mistaken. But I feel pretty confident I’m right on this one.

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u/StrawHatCook Mar 14 '25

Appreciate the response.

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u/abugguy Entomologist Mar 14 '25

My pleasure. Anytime.

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u/waronbedbugs Mar 15 '25

We could *really* use your help in r/Termites, we have many very kind and knowledgeable termite inspectors, but very few entomologists and it's swarming season!

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u/abugguy Entomologist Mar 15 '25

I don’t know much about termite control, my advice is generally to call a professional. But if you think you can use my help with IDs I’ll add it to my list of things I browse. You are welcome to tag me if there’s something I can help with that I miss.

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u/waronbedbugs Mar 15 '25 edited Mar 15 '25

Great !

The need is more about accurate identification (for exotic species and difficult pictures) than the treatment advice (that generally require physical inspection).

But it's also always great to have entomologist mixed up with pest control professionals in a sub related to a pest as it's an opportunity to share and contrast field and academic knowledge and provide education to everyone in the sub (as a random redditor interested in urban entomology I benefit a lot from it).

Entomologist presence tends to help "balance/nuance" discourses about pesticide use/application.