Case-bearing Clothes Moth Larva
Scientific Name: Tinea pellionella
Order & Family: Lepidoptera: Tineidae
Size: Larvae are typically 1 to 10 mm long; the portable case is slightly larger.
Natural Habitat
Domestic indoor environments, specifically dark areas like closets, drawers, and under furniture.
Diet & Feeding
Keratin-based animal fibers including wool, silk, fur, feathers, and hair.
Behavior Patterns
The larva constructs a silken tube or case reinforced with fibers from its food source. It carries this case while feeding and eventually pupates inside it.
Risks & Benefits
A significant household pest that causes physical damage to clothing, upholstery, and rugs; no direct health risk to humans but poses economic and material risk.
Identified on: 1/3/2026