Bug Identifier
Household Casebearer (often the Plaster Bagworm or a generic Clothes Moth larva case)
Community identification

Household Casebearer (often the Plaster Bagworm or a generic Clothes Moth larva case)

Phereoeca uterella (or similar Tineidae species)

Order & Family
Lepidoptera: Tineidae
Size
Case length usually ranges from 6mm to 12mm (0.25 to 0.5 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors in high humidity environments, closets, under furniture, or on carpeting and stucco walls.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on natural fibers like wool, silk, and cotton, as well as spider webs, dead insects, and human hair/dander.

Behavior Patterns

The larva constructs a protective, flattened, silk, pumpkin-seed-shaped case which it drags around. It can retreat inside this shell completely when threatened and often climbs walls.

Risks & Benefits

Generally considered a pest. They are not harmful to humans (no biting or stinging) but can cause minor damage to clothing, rugs, and fabrics in the home.