Bug Identifier
Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Larva/Case)
Community identification

Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Larva/Case)

Tinea pellionella

Order & Family
Lepidoptera, Tineidae
Size
Larval case is typically 6-10 mm long (about 0.25 to 0.4 inches).
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, carpet edges, under furniture, and in storage boxes containing natural fibers.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on kerotin-rich natural fibers including wool, fur, silk, felt, feathers, and lint. They may also eat synthetic blends if they contain natural fibers or food stains.

Behavior Patterns

The larva constructs a portable, flattened, silken case around itself, often incorporating fibers from the material it is feeding on, which camouflages it. It drags this case along as it feeds. They generally avoid light.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: A significant household pest that causes damage to expensive clothing, rugs, and upholstery. Benefits: In the wild, they help decompose animal matter like hair and feathers, but in homes, they are strictly pests.