About Tinea occidentella Chambers, 1880
Tinea occidentella is a species of moth belonging to the family Tineidae. Its forewing length measures roughly 7 to 12 mm (0.28 to 0.47 inches). The moth is dark grey overall, with a lighter central area on the forewing that has a distinct darker spot or fleck. The common name "western clothes moth" is incorrect, because this species does not feed on clothing, and only consumes scat and pellets. It is common near the Pacific coast, ranging from the San Francisco Bay region through coastal northern Baja California. It is almost entirely restricted to coastal areas with high humidity, which comes from advective fog off the ocean. The larvae of Tinea occidentella feed on the keratin found in fur and feathers within mammalian carnivore scat and bird of prey pellets. They have also been recorded developing on bird carcasses. The foods consumed by the larvae have very low water content, and keratin itself contains no water. The larvae get the water they need from the high humidity of their environment, which is absorbed by the fur and feathers they eat.
