Keratinophage
Guides
Tinea pallescentella
Large Pale Clothes Moth
Tinea pallescentella is a small clothes moth in the family Tineidae, commonly known as the large pale clothes moth. Adults have a wingspan of 12–15 mm and are active year-round. The species has a broad distribution spanning most of Europe (excluding the Iberian and most of the Balkan Peninsula), western North America, South America, and Australia. Larvae feed on keratinous animal matter including hair, wool, fur, and feathers.
Tinea pellionella
case-bearing clothes moth, casemaking clothes moth, fur moth
Tinea pellionella is a small tineid moth commonly known as the case-bearing or casemaking clothes moth. It is a cosmopolitan pest of stored woollen goods and natural keratinous materials. The species is distinguished by larval behavior: caterpillars construct portable silken cases reinforced with debris and food fibers, which they carry while feeding. Adults are weak fliers with reduced mouthparts and do not feed. The species has become less common in modern centrally heated homes due to drier conditions.
Tinea unidentified-az
Tinea unidentified-az is a member of the fungus moth family Tineidae, a lineage that predates many more recognizable moth species. The genus Tinea includes several species with specialized larval habits, most notably the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), whose larvae construct portable silk tubes incorporating food debris and frass. Tineid moths as a group are characterized by their ability to exploit keratinaceous materials and other organic substrates. This particular taxon designation suggests an unidentified or undescribed species from Arizona, though specific details remain undocumented.
Tineola
clothes moths
Tineola is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae containing two described species, including the economically significant common clothes moth (T. bisselliella). The genus is notable for larvae that possess specialized digestive capabilities enabling them to metabolize keratin, a protein found in hair, wool, feathers, and other animal-derived materials. These moths are synanthropic, having evolved alongside humans and now rarely occurring outside human dwellings.