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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Tubeworm, Bagworm, and Clothes Moths (Tineoidea) » Clothes Moths (Tineidae) » Tineinae » Tinea » Casemaking clothes moth - Hodges#0405 (Tinea pellionella)
Photo#1940226
Living in a Stuffed Animal with Natural Goat Hair - Tinea pellionella
Copyright © 2021 boundva

Living in a Stuffed Animal with Natural Goat Hair - Tinea pellionella
Seattle, Washington, USA
February 13, 2021
Size: 8mm
Goat doll acquired in Mexico in 2016. Two years later noticed frass. Froze doll for 2 weeks. Frass returned. Today discovered larvae in coccoons. Picture of larva with head/body extruded.
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Contributed by boundva on 13 February, 2021 - 5:22pm
Last updated 14 February, 2021 - 2:36pm

Moved upon agreement
Moved from ID Request.

Shape of the case and the number of dark segments behind the head would argue against the main lookalike (genus Phereoeca), and furthermore Phereoeca is typically found in warmer climes further south.
… chuuuuung, 14 February, 2021 - 2:36pm login or register to post comments

Looks like
the casemaking clothes moth, Tinea pellionella (Tineidae)

I wonder if there might be a population of this moth living off some other natural-fiber item(s) in the general vacinity of where this doll is kept...old rugs, wool sweaters, etc. That could explain why there was a two-year lapse between the time you acquired the doll and the frass first appeared. It could also explain why the frass reappeared even after freezing (i.e., the freezing killed any larvae that were on the doll at the time, but the doll was later recolonized after removal from the freezer).
… John van der Linden, 13 February, 2021 - 8:30pm login or register to post comments

 
Tinea pellionella
That's it! Thanks so much! I guess I had better check all the other wool items in the house!
… boundva, 14 February, 2021 - 7:05am login or register to post comments

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