Insect Distribution in a Vacant Multi-Level Office Building

The webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) causes extensive and costly damage to fabrics, furnishings, museum objects. It is best known from its presence in homes, museums, historic properties, while infestations office buildings are not as well understood. Offices typically have more frequent cleaning, fewer quiet habitats, less food availability, breeding environments for moths, which may explain the lower abundance. Nevertheless, they can be introduced with materials or by employees whose homes a infestation. This study examines distribution of different insect pests determined pheromone traps set out an unoccupied multi-floor building Switzerland. Tineola bisselliella dominated catch but was mostly found aisles on floors. larger rooms tended greater catch. Carpet beetles (Attagenus smirnovi) silverfish (Zygentoma) were also found, although smaller numbers, often preferred basement ghost (Ctenolepisma calvum) Zygentoma, even though it has been rare until recently suggests need Integrated Pest Management within buildings. In addition, under renovation, no obvious sources food, still monitoring.