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

Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Likely Larva)

Tinea pellionella

Order & Family
Lepidoptera (Order), Tineidae (Family)
Size
Larval case is typically 5–10 mm long.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

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.