Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Likely Larva)
Scientific Name: Tinea pellionella
Order & Family: Lepidoptera (Order), Tineidae (Family)
Size: Larval case is typically 5–10 mm long.
Natural Habitat
Found indoors, often in closets, on carpets, wool clothing, upholstery, or in corners where lint accumulates.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae feed on keratin-rich materials such as wool, fur, silk, felt, feathers, and lint, often damaging clothing and textiles.
Behavior Patterns
The larva builds a flattened, silken case around its body, carrying it like a mobile home as it grazes. It camouflages the case with fibers from the materials it eats.
Risks & Benefits
They pose no direct health risk to humans (they do not bite or sting) but are considered pests because they can cause significant damage to expensive fabrics, clothes, and rugs.
Identified on: 2/23/2026