Large Pale Clothes Moth vs Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Pale Clothes Moth Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
Scientific Name Tinea pallescentella Macroglossum stellatarum
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Tineidae Sphingidae
Size 7-11 mm body; 15-22 mm wingspan 40-50 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, North America Europe, Asia, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Pale Clothes Moth

A pale straw-colored clothes moth that is larger than the common webbing clothes moth. Its larvae prefer coarser animal fibers and are frequently found in old birds' nests.

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Did You Know?

It is more commonly associated with roof spaces and bird nests than with clothing in wardrobes.

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

A day-flying moth that hovers at flowers and produces an audible hum, almost perfectly mimicking a hummingbird. Has exceptional visual memory for flower locations.

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Did You Know?

This moth can remember the locations of hundreds of individual flowers and times its visits to when nectar is replenished — a memory feat unmatched by most insects.