Bug Identifier
Webbing Clothes Moth Larva
Community identification

Webbing Clothes Moth Larva

Tineola bisselliella

Order & Family
Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Tineidae
Size
Typically 10-12 mm (approx 0.5 inches) long when fully grown
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments, particularly dark, quiet areas like closets, drawers, and attics where keratin-rich materials are stored.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on natural fibers containing the protein keratin, such as wool, fur, silk, feathers, leather, and lint/hair found in dust.

Behavior Patterns

The larvae spin silken tubes or tunnels on the fabric they are consuming, which they retreat into. They avoid light and are most active in dark, undisturbed areas. They eventually pupate in silken cocoons.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Significant household pest that causes irreversible damage to expensive clothing, heavily worn carpets, and upholstery. Benefits: None in a household context; they are strictly destructive pests of stored products.