Identify strange insect?

donaghs

Hi, may not be the best place as this forum is dominated by Medical stuff.

Basically found a strange insect in my house. Wouldn't have even noticed it except that it was moving, just looks like a bit of fluff or wool, or a tiny twig.

Sorry about the picture quality, I only had a camera phone available at the time.

It's about a centimetre long (Wrigleys Extra packet beside to give an idea of size), light greyish rough exterior, with black inside. Occasionally it looks like a black head appears when it is moving. Moves like a caterpillar, but no visible legs. When I crushed it with tissue paper the black inside splurged out.

Any ideas anyone? I've checked online an it doesn't look like any of the possible house insects (e.g. silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, etc). If anyone knows of a better forum for this please tell me (or mods feel free to move it.).
Thanks.

Amalgam

They're common. Active little insects, they will often attach themselves up a wall a bit, if you nudge\disturb them, the insect will wriggle a good bit and maybe even pop out. Body is pearly white, with a shiny brown head, mouth parts like a caterpillar, mandibles etc.

The Cocoon is made of stuff exactly like you'd find in a tumble dryer. If I could find my copy of Irish Wildlife, I'd probably get a handle on what it is, but I can't..

Oh.. you crushed it.

donaghs

Anyone know if there's anything to be worried about. E.g. silverfish may look horrible, but I understand are fairly harmless creatures. A cockroach is bad as it can spread disease, and a carpet beetle can destroy textiles, etc. So is there anything to be worried about from these guys? (apart from also being curious as to what they are, and why I've only seen them at this stage of my life).

Amalgam

This was 'bugging me'.. I'd put money on it being the following:

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th8b.htm

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef609.asp

Casemaking clothes moth larvae enclose themselves in a portable case that they drag with them wherever they go. Often they leave the material they developed on and can be seen crawling slowly over walls or ceilings. This moth may travel a considerable distance to spin a cocoon in a protected crack or along the juncture of a wall and ceiling.

Some YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbWgrWMvFgw

Tree

yeah, they;re moths. had them at home before, they're a dose. happily most of my clothes are cheap cotton that gets replaced lots or synthetic materials.

you'll prbably find little eggs somewhere too, look like grains of sand. not sure how to get rid of them, i happend to move out at the time.

donaghs

Thanks for that guys. I think it has to be the casemaking clothes moth. Relieved its not something weirder.