Household Casebearer (often the Plaster Bagworm or a generic Clothes Moth larva case)
Scientific Name: 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)
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.
Identified on: 2/23/2026