
Community identification
Case-bearing Clothes Moth (larva/case)
Tinea pellionella
- Order & Family
- Lepidoptera: Tineidae
- Size
- Larval case is approximately 5 to 10 mm (around 1/4 to 3/8 inch) in length.
Natural Habitat
Typically found indoors in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, under furniture, in carpets, or near stored fabrics like wool, fur, or felt.
Diet & Feeding
The larvae feed on keratin-rich natural fibers, including wool, silk, fur, feathers, hair, and sometimes blended synthetic fabrics if they contain sweat or food stains.
Behavior Patterns
The larva constructs a portable silken case that it carries around like a shell, often incorporating fibers from the material it is eating (camouflaging it). It feeds from either end of the case and eventually pupates inside it.
Risks & Benefits
They pose no direct health risk to humans (they do not bite or sting), but they are economically damaging pests that can destroy expensive clothing, carpets, tapestries, and taxidermy.