Household Casebearer (often confused with Clothes Moth Larva)
Scientific Name: Phereoeca uterella (or potentially Tinea pellionella, the Casemaking Clothes Moth)
Order & Family: Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Tineidae
Size: Larval case is typically 7-13 mm (0.25 to 0.5 inches) long.
Natural Habitat
Typically found indoors in warm, humid climates; often seen on stucco walls, under furniture, in closets, or around spider webs in corners.
Diet & Feeding
Detritivores feeding on old spider webs, wool, hair, lint, dead insects, and natural fibers.
Behavior Patterns
The larva constructs a flattened, pumpkin-seed-shaped protective case out of silk and debris (sand, soil, fibers) which it drags around as it moves. It can turn around inside the case to feed from either end.
Risks & Benefits
Generally considered a minor pest. While they can damage wool or biological fibers, they usually feed on general house dust and cobwebs. They do not bite or sting humans.
Identified on: 2/26/2026