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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#862060
Caterpillar-like thing in sheath - Tinea pellionella

Caterpillar-like thing in sheath - Tinea pellionella
Seattle, King County, Washington, USA
November 3, 2013
Size: case is ~1cm
This little guy has been crawling around our house for the last week or so. It has a cocoon or sheath that it drags along with it, which seems to be equal parts dust bunny and cat hair. When startled it retreats into the sheath (hence cruddy pictures). The lining of the sheath looks like some sort of silk. Any ideas?

Images of this individual: tag all
Caterpillar-like thing in sheath - Tinea pellionella Caterpillar-like thing in sheath - Tinea pellionella

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
Looks like a clothes moth, actually (same superfamily as bagworms).

 
Wonderful - thanks for the mo
Wonderful - thanks for the more precise ID!

bagworm

 
Also - it looks like we don't
Also - it looks like we don't know a lot about these guys and their ranges. Any point in trying to rear it up to adult?

 
Wonderful - thank you! Sound
Wonderful - thank you! Sounds like they're not pests - the little guys can live in peace, then. It's currently crawling around on a magazine.