Bug Identifier
Case-bearing clothes moth (larva)
Community identification

Case-bearing clothes moth (larva)

Tinea pellionella

Order & Family
Order Lepidoptera, Family Tineidae
Size
Larvae cases are typically 8mm to 10mm in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Commonly found inside residential homes, specifically in closets, rugs, or upholstery and under furniture.

Diet & Feeding

Keratin-based animal fibers including wool, fur, hair, feathers, and silk.

Behavior Patterns

The larva constructs a protective silken tube or case covered with fragments of the material it is feeding on; it crawls while carrying this case and eventually pupates inside it.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans but is a significant household pest that causes physical damage to clothing, carpets, and expensive natural fiber textiles.