Case-bearing Clothes Moth
Tinea pellionella
This record describes Tinea pellionella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 9 to16 mm. The head is orange-brown and the forewings are plain brown but with 1 to 3 spots. Often found indoors in woollen carpets and clothes. The adults are generally on the wing between June and October, but may appear outside this period since they often live inside buildings. The larvae feed in a portable case, on such things as wool and fur, but also feathers and in birds' nests. This species is widespread but local in the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Tinea pellionella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinea pellionella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Fungus Moths, Clothes Moths, & Allies)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Tinea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Often found indoors in woollen carpets and clothes.
Seasonal Activity
The adults are generally on the wing between June and October, but may appear outside this period since they often live inside buildings.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed in a portable case, on such things as wool and fur, but also feathers and in birds' nests.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This species is widespread but local in the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Tinea pellionella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Case-bearing Clothes Moth (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Case-bearing Clothes Moth
What is Case-bearing Clothes Moth?
Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Case-bearing Clothes Moth found?
Habitat: Often found indoors in woollen carpets and clothes.
When is Case-bearing Clothes Moth active?
Case-bearing Clothes Moth: seasonal activity - The adults are generally on the wing between June and October, but may appear outside this period since they often live inside buildings..
What is the life cycle of a Case-bearing Clothes Moth?
The larvae feed in a portable case, on such things as wool and fur, but also feathers and in birds' nests.