The family contains more than 3,000 species in more than 300 genera. Most of the tineid moths are small or medium-sized, with wings held roofwise over the body when at rest. They are particularly common in the Palaearctic, but many occur elsewhere, and some are found very widely as introduced species.
Tineids are unusual among Lepidoptera as the larvae of only a very few species feed on living plants, while the majority feed on fungi, lichens, and detritus. Most familiar members of the family are the clothes moths, which have adapted to feeding on stored fabrics making them household pest.