Pharaoh Moth (Case-bearing Clothes Moth)
Scientific Name: Tinea pellionella
Order & Family: Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Tineidae
Size: Larval case: 8 to 10 mm; Adult wingspan: 10 to 15 mm
Natural Habitat
Indoors within residential or commercial buildings, specifically in closets, storage chests, and behind baseboards.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae feed on keratins found in natural fibers like wool, fur, silk, hair, feathers, and felt.
Behavior Patterns
Larvae construct and live inside a portable silken case (pictured) fused with bits of the material they are eating. They are lucifugous (light-avoiding) and rarely seen flying.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include significant damage to household textiles, clothing, and upholstery. They provide no direct benefit to human environments but serve as decomposers of animal-based debris in nature.
Identified on: 1/7/2026