Tineoidea (superfamily)

Clothes and Bag moths, and close relatives at suppressed

Tineoidea (superfamily) at suppressed - 12 Apr 2024
Tineoidea (superfamily) at suppressed - 12 Apr 2024
Tineoidea (superfamily) at suppressed - 12 Apr 2024
Tineoidea (superfamily) at suppressed - 12 Apr 2024
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Identification history

Tineoidea (superfamily) 18 Apr 2024 donhe
Tineoidea (superfamily) 17 Apr 2024 michaelb
Scarabaeinae (subfamily) 15 Apr 2024 michaelb
Unidentified 12 Apr 2024 LisaH

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User's notes

This was an owl pellet - shards of bone, including jaw and teeth (saved), and fur. However, when I looked a bit more closely, the pellet had divided into smaller pellets, and each of these was moving. A larva was in each pellet, and as I watched, I saw larva gather more material from a nearby pellet, pulling on the fur, and fitting it into their cocoon. Weird to observe (lots of video), and I have no idea what they are. There were also many ants.

3 comments

donhe wrote:
   12 Apr 2024
@LisaH : Maybe larva of a Trisyntopa or Monopis moth species ? Hope you can rear it and get an adult moth for an ID?
donhe wrote:
   16 Apr 2024
I have never heard previously of scarab larvae making fibre covered cases like Tineoidae larvae do. I thought they were C grubs with fat white bodies ?
LisaH wrote:
   16 Apr 2024
Unfortunately, I don’t think - (or have capacity) to collect any specimens - and I was at a loss as to what they would eat, as I wasn’t sure what they were? However, I did grab some of the pellet that didn’t have larvae, as well as all the jaw bone and teeth I could find. I’m interested to know tha dung beetles deal with owl pellets as well as dung?

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Sighting information

  • 4 - 15 Abundance
  • 12 Apr 2024 05:20 PM Recorded on
  • LisaH Recorded by

Additional information

  • 5mm to 12mm Animal size
  • Alive / healthy Animal health

Species information

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  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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